News

Edo@33: Obaseki Launches Benin City, Edo Regional Devt Masterplans

Published

1 year ago

August 28, 2024

… stakeholders chart paths for State’s sustained growth, prosperity

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, on Tuesday, launched the 30-year Benin City and Edo Regional Development Masterplans.

The event is part of activities lined up to celebrate the State’s 33rd year anniversary with the theme, “The Glory of the new Edo Nation.”

Obaseki was joined by two former governors of the State, Chief Lucky Igbinedion and Prof Osarienmen Osunbor, among others.

Other guests at the event include the Edo State First Lady, Betsy Obaseki; Deputy Governor of Edo State, Marvellous Godwins Omobayo and his wife, Sandra; former Deputy Governors of the State, Peter Obadan and Mike Ogiadome; Edo State Head of Service, Dr. Anthony Okungbowa; the PDP governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo and his wife, Ifeyinwa; his running mate, Osarodion Ogie, serving Commissioners, captains of industries, traditional and religious leaders, among others.

The governor said: “I welcome all of you today, as we launch Edo State Regional Development and the Benin City Master Plans. These are two critical documents that would help us tidy up our administration and summarise what we have been trying to do in the last 8 years. It will also guide and establish a trajectory for where our State is heading in the next 30 years.

“These plans have been carefully put together and we have consulted widely across the State to ensure participation of our citizens. Our people have been involved in this process and will continue to be involved because it’s a living document, and not static.

“They are subject to review every 5 years and there will be 6 reviews in the life span of these documents. Today, we are glad that we have been able to make a significant departure from what we met.

“When we did our first flyover across the State in 2017, it became clear to us that beyond issuing titled documents, we needed to plan for the State following what we saw. We saw a disordered mode of development, particularly in Benin City.

“We were also concerned about the growing trend where almost 50 per cent of the population was migrating to Benin City and the lopsided development needed to be addressed and dealt with.”

Obaseki, however, noted that it will be difficult to stop the migration into Benin City if the government fails to provide good amenities and improve the lives of the people in the rural communities.

According to him, “The document that is being launched today took a lot of issues into consideration. We didn’t wait till today to start implementing the plan as we have already started this process. We have made huge progress in the last 8 years.

“We have built a medical hub, technology hubs, among others which are all plans for the future. We have started the plan and done short term quick wins. We are developing the State.”

Noting that lack of planning was one of the problems hindering the country’s development, Obaseki stated, “As a people, we have always planned and taken our future and destiny in our hands in Edo.

“We would not be different today as we would continue to plan for our future. Thanks to all those that have worked over the last two years, putting the plan together and today we are launching it. I believe we are set for the future and set to restore the new Edo nation.

“By the grace of God when we leave office on November 12th, the administration that will take over from us will have inherited what we never had the privilege to inherit, a master plan that will guide them into the future.”

News

Tinubu Approves Portfolios For 5 NCDC Executive Directors

Published

3 hours ago

September 15, 2025

Editor

President Bola Tinubu has approved portfolios for five executive directors on the board of the North Central Development Commission (NCDC).

Mr Segun Imohiosen, Director, Information and Public Relations, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), made the announcement in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja.

The appointees and their portfolios are: Hajiya Biliquis Jumoke- Administration and Human Resources, Mrs Aisha Rufai Ibrahim-Commercial and Industrial Development.

Others are, Mr James Abel Uloko-Corporate Services, Prof. Muhammad Bashar-Finance and Atika Ajanah-Projects.

The president urged the executive directors to work closely with the governing board of the commission to promote and coordinate sustainable development of the North-Central geopolitical zone.”

News

Court Orders Arrest Of 2 Lawyers Over Alleged Forgery, Impersonation

Published

3 hours ago

September 15, 2025

Editor

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, sitting at Apo, on Monday, issued a bench warrant against two lawyers charged with forgery and impersonation.

Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie made the arrest order following repeated failure of the defendants- Victor Giwa, and Ibitade Bukola- to appear before the court to enter their plea to the charge that was preferred against them by the Inspector General of Police.

In the charge marked: CR/150/25, the duo were accused of conspiring to forge a legal document purportedly issued by the chambers of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Prof. Awa U. Kalu, with the intent to mislead the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF.

According to the three-count charge, the alleged offence occurred on June 28, 2024.

The prosecution alleged that the defendants forged and signed a letter on the official letterhead of the SAN, requesting the AGF to suspend a scheduled arraignment.

The contentious letter, titled “Urgent and Solemn Appeal to Suspend the Arraignment of Our Colleague Victor Giwa on Charge Number: CR/222/2023”, was allegedly addressed to the AGF.

It allegedly sought intervention of the AGF to halt an arraignment that was scheduled before trial Justice Samira Bature of the high court.

The IGP, in the charge, maintained that the two lawyers committed offences punishable under Section 97, 179 and 364 of the Penal Code Act, 2004.

At the resumed proceeding of the court on Monday, the prosecution counsel, Mr. Eristo Asaph, noted that the defence lawyer told the court that the 1st defendant was bereaved, hence his absence for the scheduled arraignment.

The prosecution counsel further noted that it was on the strength of an application by the defendant that the case was adjourned.

He, therefore, wondered why the duo were also absent in court for the case to proceed.

Responding, the defence counsel, Mr. Ogbu Aboje, told the court that the 1st defendant, Giwa, wrote a letter that was accompanied with a medical report dated September 3, indicating that he had a health challenge he described as “Degenerative disorder of the lumber vertebrae,” in addition to his hypertensive condition.

He added that the 2nd defendant equally went to the hospital on Monday morning to keep to a routine appointment for the immunisation of her daughter.

More so, he drew attention of the court to an application the defendants earlier filed to challenge its jurisdiction to entertain the case.

Dissatisfied with the developments, the prosecution counsel urged the court to issue a warrant for the defendants to be arrested y security agencies and produced for their trial.

In his ruling, Justice Onwuegbuzie held that having listened to both parties, he was minded to accede to the prosecution’s request.

He court stressed that the medical report did indicate that the 1st defendant would not be able to attend court, adding that the 2nd defendant did not adduce any material to justify her absence.

Consequently, relying on the provision of section 266 (2) and 352 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), Justice Onwuegbuzie issued a bench warrant for the defendants to be arrested and produced before the court on October 8.
(VANGUARD)

News

Community Attributes Access Road To Reduction In Maternal Mortality In Bauchi

Published

7 hours ago

September 15, 2025

Editor

A cross-section of residents in Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State has attributed the reduction in maternal mortality to the ongoing construction and rehabilitation of the Kirjaule–Lame roads.

Mr. Samila Jauro, who spoke on behalf of the community, made the disclosure during a media tour of ongoing Bauchi State projects in the area.

He explained that in the past, no fewer than 50 pregnant women and their babies had lost their lives due to delays in accessing healthcare caused by the poor condition of roads.

“We have lost many of our pregnant women and their unborn babies in the past because of bad roads.

“But the present administration has changed our lives through its infrastructural development,” Jauro said.

While commending the state government, he appealed for the electrification of Kirjauke community.

“We are grateful for the road project, but we still call on the governor to provide us with electricity.

For the past 18 years, we have had no source of power,” he added.

The Bauchi State Government, through the Ministry of Works, in 2023 awarded a 40.5-kilometer road construction and rehabilitation projects in the aforementioned sites.

Speaking on the progress of the projects, the Site Engineer, Mr. Ado Shehu, said the project had reached 75 percent completion.

“The Kirjaule–Lame and Magama–Gumau roads were awarded at the end of November 2023.

“Some portions are already completed, while others are at the second layer and shoulder stage to ensure a successful outcome.

“The duration of the project according to the contract is 36 months.

” But with 75 percent already completed, the project will be finished ahead of schedule,” he said.