Tag: Osagie Ize-Iyamu

…when same amount can be spent on 18mini stadia in 18LGAs

…says it’s undemocratic for 7 lawmakers to legislate for all Edolites

…speaks on N700m allegation

…insists he has not lost his calling as a pastor

Edo State guber aspirant, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu on Thursday said his rival in the race, Governor Godwin Obaseki should explain how he spent N6billion on the renovation of Samuel Ogbemudia when same amount can build 18 mini stadia across the State.

The guber aspirant, who disclosed this in a media parley in Abuja noted that such a huge amount of money could have been channelled into at least 18 mini stadia.

Ize-Iyamu further explained that this same amount could have been used to build “at least 18 mini stadia across the state and that is what I will do.

Asked whether his meddle into politics will not affect his calling as a man of God, the pastor said he can’t lose his calling because if nobody steps forward to challenge issues politically who else will do it.

N700m Allegation:

The money in question was released by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP which I only signed for and it was taken to Chief Tony Anenih’s house for disbursement to LG chairmen in the state.

“I was not given even N100k for signing and Chief Anenih had to add his money because he felt it was not going to be enough.

On the state House of Assembly, the guber aspirant condemned a situation whereby only seven lawmakers legislate for Edolites while the remaining 17 are barred from law making.

He said “what ought to form a quorum is a minimum of 8 but today only 7 lawmakers run the House.

On security in the state, he said nothing”tangible has been done to curb insecurity as the money made available is not even enough to fuel vehicles.

He explained his agenda for Edolites code named:SIMPLE.
“Let me explain the simplicity of a simple agenda, it’s an acronym which means Security and Social Welfare. This means infrastructural development and urban renewal, M means manpower development, the P means public private partnership, the L means leadership by example and the E means employment and empowerment scheme.

“Starting with the first issue of security; you all will agree with me that there can be no meaningful development in the absence of security. Mr President has done well but state government, even the local government must compliment the efforts of the federal government.

“Unfortunately in our state, what we are experiencing now is a very high level of insecurity to the extent that few businesses that we have are closing up and no new ones are coming in.

“There is no amount of MoU that you sign if there is no security they will not come because nobody is going to endanger their lives simply because you are inviting them to come and do business in your state.

If you want to secure your state you must be ready to invest in it unfortunately again this is not being done in our state. The excuse that security is in the hands if the federal government, security agencies are answerable to the commander in chief is not a good excuse for insecurity. If that was so I cannot justify why governors will collect security votes every month. I think the essence of such approval is that they should complement the efforts of the federal government to secure their states.

In our state what is released his very little that cannot even fuel their vehicles and even our own local vigilantee or community security are all phasing out, in the absence of encouragement they no longer exist and now to ply our roads federal and state high ways has become a very risky venture. So security is going to be key in moving our state forward.

Secondly infrastructural development and urban renewal; it is unfortunate that a lot of the promises that were made whether in terms of roads, light, hospitals and even schools are not actualised.

Four years ago the present government promised that he was going to bring healthcare to the door step of our people, in all the wards of the state he would establish a primary health care centre that is well equipped and well furnished but at the end of the four years he has not been able to complete it out of 121, how can that be a pas mark.

The hospital that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole built and established even when the present governor ….became a subject of unnecessary controversy, today that hospital has been given to a private consultant who is charging fees that the average Edo man cannot pay. So the hospital us open but it is not open to Edo people because they cannot access the place. A hospital that was built with the resources of all, it is unfortunate that hospital has become inaccessible to Edo people.