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Tag: Edo State

  • Edo Govt. bans night grazing to avert Herdsmen/Farmers clash

    The Edo State Government has banned night grazing in the state to avert further herdsmen/farmers clashes.

    The ban also prohibits the carrying of guns by herdsmen while taking care of their herds.

    Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo, who announced this on Thursday in Benin, said that the government had set up a seven-man committee in each of the 18 Local Government areas of the state to enforce the order.

    Obaseki was speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting with the Serikin Hausa/Fulani from the 18 LGA’s of the state.

    Obaseki charged the committee to visit all cases of herdsmen/farmers clashes in all the local government areas for amicable resolution.

    The seven-man committee composed included the Chairmen of the LGA’s, the Divisional Police Officers (DPO’s), representatives of State Security Service (SSS) and four representatives from each of the communities in the state.

    He said the state government would release the report of clashes between herdsmen and farmers in the state to the committees for review and action.

    “The committees will ensure the registration of all the Serikin Fulani in every community across all the local government areas and the Serikin Fulani will liaise with everyone rearing cattle in the state.

    “There will be another committee that will be headed by me that will include the State Commissioner of Police, the Director of the State Security Service, the Commander of 4 Brigade.

    “Every month, we will meet with representatives of the local government committees to review and examine the progress being made in resolving the herdsmen and farmers’ clashes in the state.

    “A special team made up of the Police, Army, Civil Defence Corps and other security agencies in the state will carry out random patrols and search operations.

    “Any herdsman found possessing firearms will be arrested and charged with illegal possession of firearms as cattle rearers do not need an AK 47 to herd cattle, ” he said.

    The Chairman of Hausa Community in the state, Alhaji Badamasi Saleh, requested that mechanism should be put in place to protect the sources of security information as most members of the communities find it difficult to volunteer information to the security agencies.

    Saleh pledged readiness of the Hausa and Fulani communities to cooperate with the state government and work with the security agencies to fish out any member of their communities who engages in criminal activities.

    He urged the state government to provide the necessary logistics that would aid the task of the monitoring committees in the various local government areas.

    The State Commissioner of Police, Mr Johnson Kokumo, thanked members of the Hausa/Fulani community for finding time to attend the meeting and assured that with their support the clash between Herdsmen and farmers will be checked.

     

  • Edo Govt reopens job portal March 1

    Edo Govt reopens job portal March 1

    Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has disclosed that the state government is finalising arrangements to reopen the EdoJobs portal on March 1, 2018.

    In a statement on Thursday, in Benin City, by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr Crusoe Osagie, the governor said the reopening of the portal would extend the window of opportunities for more youths to be captured in the state’s jobs database.

    The governor reassured youths in the state of his administration’s commitment to fulfil his campaign promise of creating 200,000 jobs for the teeming unemployed youths.

    According to Obaseki, “The reopening of the job portal is to capture more youths in the state, who are to undergo employability and capacity building training. After their training, these youths will be matched with employers of labours, who have indicated interest in employing young people.

    “It is clear that we have a crisis of youth unemployment and we are making frantic efforts to address it. There are various options the applicants on the jobs portal can choose from.

    The EdoJobs initiative trained a batch of 500 youths late last year, and also supplied over 4,000 people trained by the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) this year.

    EdoJobs is an employment initiative of Godwin Obaseki-led administration to train and retrain graduates with post-secondary school certificates on business writing, workplace ethics, problem-solving skills, emotional intelligence and managing conflicts, among others. The initiative gives applicants the opportunity for job placements in companies across the state.

    The portal provides the state government with data of applicants, which it uses for planning skills training for the job seekers in collaboration with companies requiring skilled labour.

     

  • Edo youths – police clash: Police command arrests patrol team

    Edo youths – police clash: Police command arrests patrol team

    The Police Command in Edo says it has arrested members of its patrol team allegedly responsible for the killing of a commercial driver on Tuesday morning.

    The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Johnson Kokumo, said this in a statement in Benin.

    According to Kokumo, members of the team are currently being investigated and if found culpable, would be made to face the full wrath of the law.

    He said the command would not renege on its fight against all forms of human right abuses.

    He advised parents, guardians and community leaders to prevail on their children not to take the law into their own hands and allow police investigations into the matter.

    “The Edo State Police Command wishes to inform members of the public that the violence by an irate mob and some restive youths as a result of the fatal motor accident allegedly caused by a police patrol team in the early hours of Feb. 6, 2018 has been brought under control.

    “Members of the alleged police team have been identified, arrested and currently being investigated.

    “If found culpable, they will be made to face the full wrath of the law, as the command will not renege on its fight against all forms of human right abuses.

    “We implore all parents and community leaders to prevail on their children and subjects not to take the law into their own hands and allow police investigation into the incident to be concluded.’’

    The commissioner further appealed to residents of the state to go about their lawful businesses and refrain from acts likely to cause breakdown of law and order.

     

  • Govt. calls for calm as Edo youths clash with mobile police leaving 2 dead

    Govt. calls for calm as Edo youths clash with mobile police leaving 2 dead

    Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has called for calm following clash between some youths and mobile policemen at Upper Igun area by 3rd East Circular Road Junction in Oredo Local Government Area, Benin City.

    TheNewsGuru reports there was commotion around the Igun axis after a policeman reportedly killed a bus driver and drivers retaliated by killing a policeman.

    Soldiers have been drafted to the scene.

    In a statement by Mr Crusoe Osagie, Special Adviser on Media and Communications Strategy, Governor Obaseki called for calm, urging aggrieved parties to “allow for justice to run its due course, as efforts are underway to ensure that those liable for the crime are brought to book”.

    The governor condemned the fact that the incident degenerated into civil disturbance, noting that there were better ways to resolve the scuffle.

    “The relevant security agencies are on the alert to quell further breakdown of law and order in the area. We also appeal to the people to be calm and cooperate with security agencies to bring in those responsible for the unrest,” he stated.

     

  • Gov. Obaseki inaugurates Technical Committee on Privatisation

    Gov. Obaseki inaugurates Technical Committee on Privatisation

    Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo on Tuesday inaugurated a 10-man Technical Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation (TCPC) to play advisory role in transactions the state government intends to undertake.

    Inaugurating the committee in Benin, the governor said the state government needed to align its policies with that of the private sector as it focused on economic growth.

    “We have taken several trips and steps to attract investments to the state; we have to stimulate transactions in agriculture sector, infrastructure, ports, industrial estate, and innovation hubs and so on.

    “So, the TCPC will play a participatory and advisory role in the transactions we intend to privatise and commercialise,’’ the governor said.

    According to him, the committee’s terms of reference includes taking inventory of all non-operational state-owned enterprises and companies which will entail site visit.

    “You are to recommend possible restructuring model through commercialisation, privatisation and partnerships.

    “The committee shall conduct due diligence on the Uromi Cassava Factory; take steps to ensure the selection of capable investors for the update of the factory.

    “The committee shall appoint the Public Private Partnership office as a standing and ad-hoc committee to facilitate the performance of its function,’’ the governor said.

    The Chairman of the Committee, Mr Philip Shaibu, thanked the governor for the opportunity given them to support the economic agenda of the administration.

    Shaibu, represented by Mr Emmanuel Usoh, the Commissioner for Wealth Creation, Cooperatives and Employment who is also a member of the committee, assured that they would justify the confidence reposed in them.

    “We will bring to bear our professional experiences in the discharge of our duties to meet the demands of the governor and in line with the law.

    “We will be transparent in all our duties and we pledge to do our assignment with all wisdom and diligence,’’ he said.

     

  • JUST IN: Edo APC postpones party primaries, fixes new date

    JUST IN: Edo APC postpones party primaries, fixes new date

    The Edo State All Progressive Congress (APC) has postponed the party primaries earlier scheduled for Monday 22nd January 2018.

    This is contained in a press statement signed by the Edo APC Publicity Secretary, Chris Azebamwan, and made available to TheNewsGuru.

    According to the statement, the party primaries for the upcoming local government elections will now hold across the State on Wednesday 24th January 2018.

     

  • Edo fixes council elections for March 3

    Edo fixes council elections for March 3

    The Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) has scheduled 3rd March, 2018 for the conduct of election into the 18 Local Government Councils of Edo state.

    A statement signed yesterday in Benin City by the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) Chairman, Prof Stanley Orobator said the election timetable and guidelines shall be released at the office of the commission after a meeting with all the registered political parties.

    Orobator said,”Pursuant to section 21 of the Edo State Local Government Electoral Law 2012, the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission do hereby announce notice of Election into the 18 Local Government Councils of Edo State which is scheduled to take place on the 3rd of March 2018.”

    According to the statement, “All registered political parties are by the notice invited to a meeting with the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission on Monday 13th of January 2018 at its office in Benin City, Edo State by 12noon.”

     

  • Edo Internally Generated Revenue records 500% growth

    Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has said Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in the state has recorded a 500 per cent growth.

    Governor said this when he inaugurated the Edo State Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs, at the Government House, in Benin City.

    He said the reforms being implemented by his administration have yielded positive result, as annual collection in local council areas climbed from N30 million in November 2016 to 150 million in November this year.

    Obaseki said that the appreciable rise in revenue collection was as a result of various institutional reforms being implemented in the state, noting that the use of automated systems, such as Point of Sale (POS) machines, tax vouchers, among others, have revolutionised revenue collection in the local councils.

    He added that the increased revenue profile has made local councils buoyant and now able not only to meet their statutory obligations, but also contribute to development.

    The governor said that the state took a methodological approach in attaining the feat with IGR, as it conducted pilot study in 9 locations in Oredo local council, to operationalise the concept, adding, “When we conducted the study, Oredo LGA used to remit N42,000 a day, but after we introduced electronic devices, that sum climbed to N500,000.”

    Assuring that even more revenue is expected in the coming months, he said, “We are opening up Edo State for business and companies are heading down here. It is expected that with increased business activity to be occasioned by our investment drive in the state, more companies will spring up and the revenue profile we see today, will rise even further.”

    Obaseki said that the state is now a Mecca for investors, which is why heavyweights in agriculture, Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) companies, and manufacturers are siting their businesses in the state.

    He added, “The State Government is open for business because of our peculiar location as a nexus to different parts of Nigeria. This is why the companies are coming here. The influx of businesses will provide avenues for increased activity, create more jobs and will drive development.”

     

  • Gov Godwin Obaseki in shock, laments deplorable state of Benin-Ekpoma road [Video]

  • Adesua Etomi visits Obaseki, applauds accomplishments

    Svelte Nollywood star, Adesua Etomi on Thursday paid a courtesy visit to the Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, at the Government House in Benin City.

     

    The award winning role interpreter, who hails from Edo State, commended the Obaseki-led administration for the giant strides it has made in empowering women and caring for the less-privileged in the society as well as providing critical infrastructure and enthroning law and order in the state.

     

     

    Etomi noted that her visit was to show her support for Governor Obaseki and his team that are gradually transforming the state without making noise about it.

     

    Tolulope Adesuwa Etomi was born in Owerri, Imo State on February 22. She attended Corona School in Victoria Island, Lagos, where she joined the drama club at age 7.

    Etomi moved to the United Kingdom when she was 13 years old, and later obtained a diploma in “physical theatre, musical theatre and performing arts” from City College Coventry in 2004. After completing these courses in 2006 with triple distinctions, she studied drama and performance at the University of Wolverhampton, graduating with first-class honours.

     

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