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Tag: Godwin Obaseki

  • BREAKING: Five COVID-19 patients leave isolation centre in Edo State

    BREAKING: Five COVID-19 patients leave isolation centre in Edo State

    Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State on Friday announced the discharge of five Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients in the State.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Obaseki, who announced this via his twitter handle said the five patients were fully recovered having tested negative twice.

    “I am pleased to announce that five of the confirmed cases in Edo have now tested negative twice for COVID-19. They have thus been discharged.

    “This bolsters our resolve to defeat the common enemy, as we roll out more measures to check the spread of COVID-19”, Governor Obaseki said.

    Edo has 15 confirmed cases with 14 active and one death as announced by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

    The five discharged persons now brings to nine the number of patients still in the isolation centres in the State.

  • BREAKING: Gov. Obaseki enters self isolation after contacting COVID-19 positive patients

    BREAKING: Gov. Obaseki enters self isolation after contacting COVID-19 positive patients

    Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has entered into self isolation after coming in contact with several patients who have tested positive to the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Governor Obaseki, who urged his colleagues to get tested, stated this himself, stressing his samples have been taken for testing, and that he is taking this precaution to protect people that may otherwise come in contact with him.

    “I have gone into self-isolation and sent in my samples for testing after 2 persons I came in contact with tested positive for Coronavirus. I am taking this precaution to protect people that may otherwise come in contact with me. I urge my colleagues to get tested too,” the Governor tweeted on his official Twitter handle.

    Recall that a case of COVID-19 has been confirmed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in the State, being the first case recorded in the southern Nigeria.

    Following confirmation of the case, Governor Obaseki had placed a ban on gatherings of more than 50 people in any part of the state, as part of efforts to prevent spread of the virus.

    The governor also ordered public officers below grade level 12 (except those providing essential services such as fire service and healthcare workers) to work from home until further notice.

    Governor Obaseki disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the steps taken by his administration to ensure the virus is curtailed in the state.

    Meanwhile, the Chief Medical Director of Irrua Specialist Hospital, Sylvanus Okogbenin, said Edo State has recorded its first case of coronavirus.

    Okogbenin said, “We have a patient who came back from Europe, was diagnosed and the result confirmed he tested positive for coronavirus. The person is presently under isolation. He is getting treatment and is expected to get better”.

    Governor Obaseki, who urged residents not to panic as the state government has taken serious steps to prevent further spread of the virus in the state, said his administration has developed an action plan to cope with the pandemic.

    The governor called on citizens to make public the identity of anyone that arrived from Europe, America or Asia in the last 30 days for screening and support.

    He assured that the state will provide the necessary support to check the pandemic in the state.

    Obaseki said, “We have three isolation centres in Benin City, Irrua and Auchi; a federal government testing centre in Irrua, and a large number of a well-trained and certified health workers to trace and treat patients.

    “All public officers below grade level 12 (except those providing essential services such as fire service and healthcare workers) should work from home until further notice. All schools should remain closed. In order to give effect to our social distancing policy, gathering of more than 50 people is prohibited in Edo State till further notice. Public transportation will remain in operation, however crowding in commercial vehicles should be avoided.

    “Coronavirus is not a death sentence, so no need to panic. The common signs and symptoms of the coronavirus infection include dry cough, fever and difficulty in breathing.”

    “Since COVID 19 is a virus that is transmitted from one person to another through close contact, the most important and proven remedy to reduce its spread is through social distancing. Citizens are advised to postpone unnecessary travels in and out of Edo State and if possible, stay at home”, the governor added.

    He urged residents not to panic but remain calm and cooperate with the government by ensuring they follow the instructions and steps which have been outlined to curtail the COVID19.

    The governor also called on the people to report any signs or symptoms of coronavirus to the nearest designated hospital for monitoring, testing and care for quick recovery.

    The designated hospitals include the Central Hospital, Edo Specialist Hospital, Stella Obasanjo Hospital, Irrua Specialist Hospital, University of Benin Teaching Hospital and Auchi Specialist Hospital.

    “If you know of anyone who arrived from Europe, America or Asia in the last 30 days, please give the details of such persons, including their phone numbers, so that we can provide screening and any required support to them. Please call 08084096723, 08064258163, 08035835529 08074132010 for assistance,” he added.

  • Edo Govt acts after recording first COVID-19 case

    Edo Govt acts after recording first COVID-19 case

    Following the upswing of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Nigeria, the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has placed a ban on gatherings of more than 50 people in any part of the state, as part of efforts to prevent spread of the virus.

    The governor also ordered public officers below grade level 12 (except those providing essential services such as fire service and healthcare workers) to work from home until further notice.

    Governor Obaseki disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the steps taken by his administration to ensure the virus is curtailed in the state.

    Meanwhile, the Chief Medical Director of Irrua Specialist Hospital, Sylvanus Okogbenin, said Edo State has recorded its first case of coronavirus.

    Okogbenin said, “We have a patient who came back from Europe, was diagnosed and the result confirmed he tested positive for coronavirus. The person is presently under isolation. He is getting treatment and is expected to get better”.

    Governor Obaseki, who urged residents not to panic as the state government has taken serious steps to prevent further spread of the virus in the state, said his administration has developed an action plan to cope with the pandemic.

    The governor called on citizens to make public the identity of anyone that arrived from Europe, America or Asia in the last 30 days for screening and support.

    He assured that the state will provide the necessary support to check the pandemic in the state.

    Obaseki said, “We have three isolation centres in Benin City, Irrua and Auchi; a federal government testing centre in Irrua, and a large number of a well-trained and certified health workers to trace and treat patients.

    “All public officers below grade level 12 (except those providing essential services such as fire service and healthcare workers) should work from home until further notice. All schools should remain closed. In order to give effect to our social distancing policy, gathering of more than 50 people is prohibited in Edo State till further notice. Public transportation will remain in operation, however crowding in commercial vehicles should be avoided.

    “Coronavirus is not a death sentence, so no need to panic. The common signs and symptoms of the coronavirus infection include dry cough, fever and difficulty in breathing.”

    “Since COVID 19 is a virus that is transmitted from one person to another through close contact, the most important and proven remedy to reduce its spread is through social distancing. Citizens are advised to postpone unnecessary travels in and out of Edo State and if possible, stay at home”, the governor added.

    He urged residents not to panic but remain calm and cooperate with the government by ensuring they follow the instructions and steps which have been outlined to curtail the COVID19.

    The governor also called on the people to report any signs or symptoms of coronavirus to the nearest designated hospital for monitoring, testing and care for quick recovery.

    The designated hospitals include the Central Hospital, Edo Specialist Hospital, Stella Obasanjo Hospital, Irrua Specialist Hospital, University of Benin Teaching Hospital and Auchi Specialist Hospital.

    “If you know of anyone who arrived from Europe, America or Asia in the last 30 days, please give the details of such persons, including their phone numbers, so that we can provide screening and any required support to them. Please call 08084096723, 08064258163, 08035835529 08074132010 for assistance,” he added.

  • Goodluck Jonathan visits Godwin Obaseki amid rancour in Edo State

    Goodluck Jonathan visits Godwin Obaseki amid rancour in Edo State

    Amid rancour in Edo State, former President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday visited Governor of the State, Godwin Obaseki.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Jonathan said he was in the State to visit the family of Chief Gabriel Igbinedion.

    He said the visit was to show appreciation for the honorary doctorate degree conferred on him by Igbinedion University, and the renaming of the university’s College of Arts and Social Sciences after him.

    Speaking on his private visit to Obaseki, after visiting the Igbinedion family, Jonathan said, as a former President, it was not out of place for him to visit the Governor of the State if the Governor was chanced.

    “Traditionally, for somebody who has been a President, when he goes to a state, he has to pay a courtesy call to the Governor of the state. If you are not free, fine, but at least I informed him,” Jonathan said while addressing newsmen.

    When questioned to assess the government of Governor Obaseki, Jonathan, who was visibly in a hurry to leave, simply said, “people are pleased”.

    TNG reports Obaseki took advantage of the occasion to take a swipe at the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, accusing him of deliberately breaking protocol every time he visits the State.

    He said it was unfortunate that Oshiomhole, who has served as Governor of the State does not realize that courtesy demands that he (Oshiomhole) should inform him (Obaseki) as the chief executive in charge of his security when he is in the State.

    “He (Jonathan) is just extending the courtesy, as someone who has served the country in the highest level and you heard what he said.

    “There is a courtesy when you are going to visit a State, you want to inform the person in charge of the State that you are coming and when you have time during a visit, you can now pay him a courtesy call.

    “Unlike the unfortunate incident, we have been having in Edo State. It is really sad where somebody who had been the Governor of a State visiting the State and does not realize that courtesy demands that he should inform the Governor or the Governor apparatus of his visit as the chief executive in charge of his security when he is in the State.

    “It is really sad and unfortunate that people who have served, who should know better, decided to behave the way they do or behave with impunity and sense of lawlessness,” Obaseki said.

    Recall Oshiomhole was in Benin on Saturday to attend the burial ceremony of late Madam Cecilia Agbonyinma, mother of Ehiozuwa Agbonyinma, and was booed at the Benin Airport by some youth.

    His convoy was also pelted with empty water can, even as heavy security presence at the airport barred the youths from getting close to the convoy.

    Also, the road leading to Oshiomhole’s residence was barricaded with two trucks, one of which was later set ablaze.

    It was gathered that the barricade was to prevent any political meetings from holding at Oshiomhole’s residence.

    Security was later beefed up around the house to forestall any attacks at night.

    Speaking to newsmen about the airport incident, Obaseki said Oshiomhole should have informed the State government about his visit to the state.

  • Edo Sports Festival to become annual event – Obaseki

    Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo says the State Sports Festival will henceforth become an annual event and part of official sports calendar of the state.

    The governor disclosed this while declaring open the 3rd edition of the festival in Benin on Monday, which is taking place 19 years after the 2nd edition was held.

    He said the festival would also be synchronised with the sports calendar of the Federal Ministry of Sports.

    Obaseki said the event would serve as a unifying platform for people across the 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state in spite of their cultural and religious diversity.

    He urged the state contingents to compete to win with the right attitude and abide by the rules and regulations.

    The governor promised that overall winner of the competition would get N5 million, while 2nd and 3rd positions get N3 million and N1 million respectively.

    Earlier, the Chairman, Edo Sports Commission, Mr Godwin Dudu-Orumen, said the event was to celebrate the best of cultures, sports and spirit of competitiveness.

    Dudu-Orumen said the competition would afford the state the opportunity to test run facilities built by the Obaseki administration ahead of the National Sports Festival.

    He said it would also be used to select athletes to represent the state at the national festival.

  • Obaseki casts ballot, gives reason for fast, peaceful polls

    Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo, alongside his wife, Besty, on Saturday, cast their votes at about 10:08 a.m. and 10: 07 a.m. respectively in Oredo Local Government Area of the state .

    The governor voted at Ward 4 polling unit 19, Emokpae Primary School.

    The governor, who was in company with his wife, arrived the polling unit at about 10:04 a.m.

    Obaseki told newsmen shortly after voting that the peaceful and fast voting process at his unit, was due to the conduct of only one election in the state.

    “There is no voter apathy because the ballot boxes are already full, we have only one election in the state, so the process is fast.

    “The APC candidates did enough campaign before today, so I believe that voter participation will be higher than that of Feb. 23,” he said.

    He said the state had provided enough security to ensure that the State House of Assembly Election process went on smoothly.

    Some of the voters at the governor’s polling unit lauded the peaceful conduct of the process, noting that they were also impressed by the fast process.

    Electoral materials arrived the units before 6:30 a.m. while accreditation and voting started by 8 a.m.

     

  • 2019 elections: Obaseki commends large voter turnout, peaceful conduct of polls

    Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo has commended the large turnout of voters’ and peaceful conduct of election at Ward 4 polling unit 19 in Oredo Local Government Area, where he voted.

    The governor and his wife, Mrs Betsy Obaseki, arrived at the polling unit at Emokpae Primary School at 9:55 am and waited for about 20 minutes in the queue before casting their votes.

    Obaseki told newsmen shortly after voting that he was not expecting voters’ apathy as the APC had fully sensitised the electorate after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) extended the exercise by one week.

    “The turnout is large and for the time I waited here, it has been peaceful.

    “I am impressed with the security arrangement so far. We have not received any incident of election malpractice across the state.

    “We have aerial and water surveillance. I am optimistic that the process will be peaceful all through,’’ he said.

    He, however, urged the electorate across the 18 local government areas of the state to go and cast their votes on time so the process could be completed as planned.

    Some of the voters at the governor’s polling unit commended the peaceful conduct of the process as well as early arrival of materials.

    Electoral materials arrived the units before 7 am while accreditation/voting started by 8 20 am.

     

  • David Ejoor: Obaseki extols virtues of former Mid-Western State Gov

    The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has extolled the virtues of Late retired Major General David Ejoor, who served as administrator of old Mid-Western Region and later as Governor, Mid-Western State, praising his contribution to what later became Delta and Edo states.

    The death of late Maj. Gen. Ejoor at the age of 87 was announced on February 10, 2019.

    In a statement by Special Adviser on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, the governor said that given the peculiar character of Mid-Western State, it needed a well-versed leader to pilot its affairs, a role which Maj. Gen. Ejoor performed well.

    He described him as a respected statesman, who contributed to the development of the region and set some of the foundation stones for progress and unity in Delta and Edo states.

    “The Edo State Government commiserates with the people and government of Delta State over the death of retired Major General David Ejoor, who was at a time, administrator of now-defunct Mid-Western region.

    “The outpouring of goodwill messages from Nigerians, since retired General Ejoor’s passing, is a testimony to his tireless work in propagating oneness among Nigerians, especially his role in the unity of Nigeria during and after the civil war when he served as administrator of now-defunct Mid-Western state and later the Chief of Army Staff,” the statement read.

     

  • Edo, CBN partner on development of 100,000-hectare plantation

    Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has said that the state government is in discussions with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to develop a programme that will see investors taking up 100,000 hectares of agricultural land in the state for plantation development.

    The governor said this when he met with a delegation from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), led by IFC Vice President, Middle East and Africa, Mr. Segio Pimenta, on a courtesy visit to the Government House, Benin City, the Edo State capital.

    The governor said that the state is keenly interested in increasing agricultural land under cultivation in the state to create wealth, fight deforestation and boost the economy, noting that the concerns of environmentalists are taken into consideration in increasing the hectarage under cultivation in the state.

    According to him, “Edo State has the largest oil palm estate in the country even that is comparatively small when you relate it to what is happening in South-East Asia.

    “Total agricultural land under cultivation is under 70,000 hectares which is less than one farm in Indonesia.”

    He continued, “We want to make sure that what we produce can compete globally. As such, we decided to first deal with concerns of the environment by taking a forest audit and now we have been able to earmark close to 250,000 hectares of degraded forest land for agricultural purpose.

    “We made a commitment last week to CBN to make 100,000 available to be properly screened by investors, as the CBN wants to develop a programme with us as a pilot.

    “We want to get a commitment of getting or re-growing one hectare of forest from every four hectares cultivated in the state.

    “This will help us to be competitive in the next few years in terms of our forestry assets”.

    Pimenta, on his part, said the organisation has heard of all the good works the governor was doing to develop the state and its economy, which are geared towards making life better for the people of the state.

    He said the organisation is supporting progressive states that are doing well in various areas, with education as one of the major areas of focus, noting “Education is one area the state is getting our fundamental support.

    “We look at human capacity index focusing on how we can help build human capacity in countries and states we operate in.

    “This is responsible for the collaboration with Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (EDOBEST) programme and BRIDGE.”

     

  • Security: Edo Govt. to establish emergency response centre

    Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo says his administration is building an emergency response centre to coordinate all the operations under the newly-inaugurated State Security Architecture.

    Obaseki stated this when the new Commissioner of Police, Mr Hakeem Odumosun paid him a courtesy visit in Government House, Benin on Wednesday.

    He said the response centre would be ready in three months.

    Obaseki commended the outgone Commissioner of Police, Mr Johnson Kokumo, for his cooperation and support in the birth of the new security architecture and Trust Fund in the state.

    The Governor said the security trust fund would be managed in a transparent manner and urged citizens of the state to support and contribute to the initiative.

    He assured the new commissioner of police of the support of his administration to ensure he succeeded in his responsibility.

    Obaseki said the former Commissioner of Police was diligent, resourceful and incorruptible, urging the new commissioner to run a corruption-free command and ensure that the people of the state trusted the force.

    Earlier, Odumosun said his mission was to protect lives and property and ensure that the state was safe for all.

    Odumosun promised to improve on what he met on ground, saying that he would police the state with international best practices using community policing as a pivot.

    “I will publish the names of all the Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) and Area Commanders in the state, to enable the people of the state reach them in emergency situations.

    “This will enable us evaluate their response time to crime,’’ he said.