‘Prudent management of resources, accountability ensured our first term successes’

Obaseki earmarks N21b for education in 2021, to prioritise basic, technical teaching
Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has attributed the successes recorded in different sectors of the state during his first term to transparency, accountability and prudent management of resources.

In a statement issued in Benin City yesterday, Obaseki noted that the deployment of the state’s resources to healthcare and education sectors, industrial and infrastructure projects, among others, led to massive development, engendered economic growth and improved the lives of Edo people.

He said the prudent management of resources has made Edo State a reference point in the comity of states in terms of financial resources management and good governance.       

The governor, who assured that his government would sustain the gains recorded in the first term, urged the people to pay their taxes regularly to enable the government continue to discharge its responsibilities to them.

“Because of our antecedents in managing resources, redefining and deepening the social contract between government and Edo people, we believe that we will be able to respond to the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and actualise our vision of Making Edo Great Again (MEGA),” he stated.

BESIDES, Obaseki disclosed that he earmarked N20.8b for the education sector in 2021 to sustain the gains recorded in the sector by the administration in his first term.

He said the state government would commit N13b to expanding the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (EdoBEST) programme to ensure the roll out of the initiative to other sections of the basic education scheme in the state, specifically from Basic seven to nine.

Obaseki pointed out that robust investment would be made to ensure the success of the Edo Supporting Teachers to Achieve Results (Edo STAR) Teaching Fellowship Programme, which, he said, was a three-year training, field experience and employment programme for teachers and aspiring teachers who would be migrated into the state’s civil service upon satisfactory performance.

The governor added that the Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Edo State College of Education, Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) and technical partners would administer the programme.

“Our expenditure in basic education will focus on reconfiguring the infrastructure in schools to ensure compliance with the COVID-19 containment guidelines,” Obaseki said.

On plans for technical education in the coming year, the governor noted that the vision to make Edo great again relied strongly on building a virile and productive youth population.

“We will, therefore, be replicating the success at the Government Science and Technical College (GSTC) across the state, and build necessary manpower to drive industrial growth. In 2021, we shall commence the construction and equipping of three other technical colleges,” he stressed.