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Obaseki, Oshiomhole Mourn Departed Former Head of Service, SSG, Shower Encomium

Published

5 years ago

February 18, 2021

The death of former Head of Service, HoS, and Secretary to Edo State Government, SSG, Dr. simon Imuekemhe, has been described as great loss to the state.

He was said to have passed on in the early hours of Thursday at the age of 66.

It was gathered that the former SSG had not been on good health for a while before his health degenerated on Saturday, when he was rushed to an undisclosed hospital in Benin.

Governor of the state, Godwin Obaseki, in his reaction to the death of the former civil service doyen, expressed deep shock.

A statement issued on Thursday by the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Osarodion Ogie, and made available to newsmen said, “The Governor of Edo State, His Excellency, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has received with deep shock, the news of the death of a one-time Head of Service and Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Simon Omoaka Imuekemhe, KSM, FNIM (JP)”.

“Dr. Simon Imuekemhe joined the then Bendel State Public Service in 1988 as a Consultant Pediatrician. He held several positions in the Hospitals Management Board and was appointed Permanent Secretary in 1999. Dr. Imuekemhe was Head of the Edo State Civil Service from 2005-2011 when he retired from the Civil Service. He was appointed Secretary to the State Government in 2011, a position he held till November, 2012”, the statement traced the trajectory of the deceased in the service of the state.

The statement continues, “Edo State Government mourns the loss of an Administrative Colossus, who impacted positively on all spheres of Public Service having served the State under four (4) Military Administrators and three (3) Civilian Governors.

“Our deep and sincere condolences go to his wife, children, the entire Imuekemhe family, the Public Service and the good people of Edo State. May the good Lord grant us the fortitude to bear this huge loss,” statement added.

Also in his reaction to the death the former Head of Service, former governor of the state, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole in a statement said he received death of the former Head of Service with shock, just he described Imuekemhe as a very good man with outstanding personality and excellent career in public service.

Oshiomhole in the statement he personally signed and made available to newsmen in Benin added that the former Head of Service understood his vision when he was governor, keyed into it, stressing that he (HoS) contributed immensely to the many successes recorded by his administration as governor of the state.

“He contributed immensely to the many successes recorded by my administration as governor of Edo State, by tirelessly offering his expertise and vast experience whenever he was called upon to serve.

“It is noteworthy that he worked assiduously to introduce several far reaching institutional reforms into the Edo State civil service, which enhanced productivity and afforded substantial benefits to the state’s workforce.

“As Secretary to the State Government during my first tenure as governor, he understood my vision and immediately keyed in to be part of it. His loyalty and commitment to this vision was never in doubt and coupled with his courage, boldness, intellectual depth, honesty, managerial capacity and experience, we were able to achieve so much in such a short period of time,” he said.

Oshiomhole therefore prayed God to grant the family he left behind the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

Imuekemhe was Head of the Edo State Civil Service from 2005-2011and when he retired from the Civil Service, he was appointed Secretary to the State Government in 2011, and served till November, 2012. He was also at a time the Chief Medical Director of the Central Hospital, Benin; as as he was Chairman of the state’s Local Government Service Commission.

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Ovia South West Council Chairman, Edobor Bags National Merit Award

Published

13 hours ago

October 24, 2025

Editor

The Acting Chairman of Ovia South West Local Government Council in Edo State, Hon. Charles Nosakhare Edobor, has bagged the 2025 Nigerian Local Government Merit Award (LOGMA).

He was awarded as the Best Performing Local Government Chairman in Nigeria (Security and infrastructure development, purposeful leadership).

Speaking after being conferred with the prestigious award, Edobor applauded the organizers for recognizing his administration’s commitment to localizing good governance.

He highlighted his leadership’s remarkable strides in building a sustainable, livable, and prosperous council area through numerous people-oriented programmes and projects-particularly in road infrastructure and the provision of basic social amenities.

Edobor dedicated the award to the Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, and to the good people of Ovia south west Local Government Area.

He expressed satisfaction with the honour. He emphasized that the award would further spur him to work harder in pursuing people-centred programmes aligned with Senator Monday Okpebholo’s S.H.I.N.E and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Edobor commended Governor Okpebholo for his visionary leadership and unwavering support for local government administrations across the state.

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to deepening rural development, empowering youth and women, and ensuring the dividends of democracy reach every ward in Ovia south west local government.

Earlier, in his welcome address at the event which held on Wednesday at the National Merit House, Abuja, the National Coordinator of LOGMA, Chief Bayode Ojo, stated that the award was designed to showcase the achievements of local government chairmen and reward excellence in grassroots governance – particularly those who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to promoting grassroots development despite the challenges confronting the third tier of government.

He congratulated all the awardees for making the final list after rigorous scrutiny and spot-checking of some of their executed projects to verify the authenticity of their claims.

Chief Ojo further urged the awardees to continue to be shining examples of sustainable growth at the grassroots and in the country at large.

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JUST IN: Tinubu Sacks CDS Musa, Names New Army Boss

Published

13 hours ago

October 24, 2025

Editor

President Bola Tinubu has made changes in the hierarchy of the Service Chiefs in furtherance of the efforts of the Federal Government of Nigeria to strengthen the national security architecture.

The President appointed General Olufemi Oluyede to replace General Christopher Musa as the new Chief of Defence Staff.

More to follow…

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Lagos Inaugurates 24-hour Traffic Management Operations

Published

1 day ago

October 23, 2025

Editor

The Lagos State Government has launched two transformative initiatives designed to recalibrate traffic governance and restore environmental sanctity across the metropolis.

In a visionary bid to guarantee seamless mobility and safe commuting at all hours, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has formally instituted a 24-hour operational framework for traffic management and enforcement across Lagos State.

The groundbreaking initiative, officially commissioned by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, constitutes a seminal moment in the evolution of Lagos’s transportation governance.

It manifests Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu’s strategic ambition to ensure the uninterrupted movement of people, goods and services within Nigeria’s economic epicentre—a city that operates continuously, unhindered by congestion or disorder.

According to Giwa, the 24-hour operational regime epitomises the administration’s steadfast dedication to constant vigilance, operational efficiency and disciplined traffic regulation, especially as the metropolis approaches the festive period, traditionally characterised by heightened vehicular and commercial activity.

This information was contained in a statement yesterday by the Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA, Adebayo Taofiq.

He elaborated that the framework is meticulously designed to facilitate continuous monitoring, rapid emergency response and immediate clearance of traffic obstructions irrespective of time, thereby mitigating congestion and enhancing the commuter experience.

“This initiative exemplifies the Lagos State Government’s resolute commitment to safeguarding mobility, preserving lives and sustaining economic productivity through perpetual traffic oversight,” Giwa stated.

A pivotal component of the initiative is the establishment of the Night Rapid Response Gang, a specialised unit within LASTMA charged with swiftly addressing nocturnal traffic incidents, including vehicular breakdowns, collisions and other obstructions along critical arteries of the metropolis.

In tandem with these traffic management reforms, the Lagos State Government also executed a comprehensive clearance operation along Apapa Road, Costain and the Ijora Under Bridge, eliminating illegal structures, shanties and unregulated trading that had long obstructed free vehicular flow and compromised public safety.

The far-reaching enforcement exercise, spearheaded by Sola Giwa in coordination with LASTMA, the Nigeria Police Force, Mobile Police (MOPOL), the Lagos State Task Force and the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), culminated in the removal of unauthorised traders, makeshift structures and multiple environmental infractions.

During the operation, enforcement teams uncovered an illegal diesel dumping site and impounded substantial quantities of expired plantain chips and cheese balls, stored under unsanitary conditions—a testament to the government’s prioritisation of public health and environmental integrity.

The exercise followed persistent warnings and public sensitisation campaigns urging illegal occupants under bridges to vacate. Teams also identified blocked drainage channels choked with metallic debris, contributing to perennial flooding and environmental degradation.

Furthermore, several commercial buses and tricycles operating unlawfully along the newly constructed Costain Bridge and Apapa Road were impounded.

Shanties adjacent to St. Catholic Church School, Apapa Road, were demolished, reinstating the area to its intended urban and educational purpose, while criminal hideouts beneath the Ijora Bridge were dismantled to enhance public security.

Giwa reaffirmed that the Sanwo-Olu administration will not compromise on public safety, environmental protection or the rule of law, stressing that Lagos must remain a city distinguished by structure, order and discipline.

General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, appealed to traders, transport operators and commuters to comply with government directives, utilise designated markets and parking facilities, and actively support the administration’s efforts to maintain a safe, efficient and orderly metropolis.

He emphasised that the integration of 24-hour traffic management with environmental enforcement represents the Lagos State Government’s holistic approach to sustainable urban mobility—one that blends innovative regulation, proactive enforcement and civic responsibility.