Deputy governor of Edo State Dennis Idahosa, on Monday said the security policies of the current administration have restored confidence and created a safer environment for investment and agricultural production in the state.

This was contained in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Friday Aghedo, and made available to newsmen in Benin on Monday.

The statement quoted Idahosa to stated this when he received a delegation from the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND), led by its Programme Director, Dr Effiong Essien, on a courtesy visit.

He said the administration’s people-oriented policies, programmes, and legislative reforms had contributed to the reduction of crime and strengthened the justice system, particularly in dealing with criminal elements.

The deputy governor said the administration’s commitment to the SHINE Agenda had positioned Edo as one of the more peaceful states in the Niger Delta, citing its firm stance against kidnapping, cultism and other forms of criminality.

According to him, security remains critical to the state’s economic development, as investors and farmers can only operate effectively when they are confident about the safety of their lives, businesses and farmlands.

“In any nation where there is security, investors and transformation would come.

“It is only when it is safe for our mothers to go to the farm that they can go to the farm and be productive.

“Security is number one in the SHINE Agenda. It shows the Governor’s emphasis on security and even agriculture,” he said.

Idahosa said the government’s security drive was closely linked to its efforts to achieve food sufficiency, stressing that farmers needed safe communities and farmlands to maximise agricultural production.

He, on behalf of the governor, appreciated PIND for choosing Edo as a base for its human capital development programmes and assured the organisation of the state government’s readiness to collaborate with it.

The deputy governor noted that several corporate social responsibility interventions by multinational companies, particularly those impacting rural communities, were implemented through partnerships involving PIND.

He described PIND’s interventions as needs-driven, saying its projects were designed around the specific needs of communities and beneficiaries while strengthening relevant value chains.

Earlier, Essien said PIND was a non-profit initiative committed to promoting peace and equitable economic growth in the Niger Delta by bringing governments, communities, businesses, and development partners together to address shared challenges.

He said the organisation’s interventions focused on reducing poverty, strengthening coastal communities, promoting youth employment, fostering stability, and supporting sustainable development across the region.

Essien outlined PIND’s short- and long-term development plans, training programmes, and interventions already implemented in rural communities across Edo.

He appealed for the state government’s collaboration in establishing safe farm corridors, strengthening agricultural value-chain actors, and reactivating the Udo Skills Development Centre for practical training, entrepreneurship, and youth employment.

He also requested the designation of a government focal person to receive early-warning information from peace actors across the 18 local government areas to help prevent conflicts and unrest before they escalate.