The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has reassured residents of over 22 communities in Inikorogha, Ovia South West Local Government Area (LGA) of adequate security to engender peace and progress.

The governor gave the reassurance while addressing members of the communities, at the Government House, Benin City, when they staged a peaceful protest over plans to withdraw the security agencies maintaining peace in the area.

“I have been informed about your peculiar case. When I heard that the Nigeria Police Force in Abuja has instructed that the security be withdrawn from your communities, I mandated that a letter should be written to the Inspector General of Police.

“First, I am the Chief Security Officer of this State. Constitutionally, I have the responsibility to secure you and I will therefore communicate with the Inspector General. They cannot remove security men from your community without first letting me know. I heard that it is the resolution of the House of Representatives. The House of Representatives do not govern Edo State.

“If anybody representing us in the House of Representatives goes to misrepresent us, that must be corrected. I will make sure it is done. In the meantime, keep your peace and I will make sure security men return to your communities so that you can keep away those bandits.

“We know what they are trying to achieve. They are not happy that we have stopped the illegal logging in your community which they are making money from. So they have gone to Abuja to try to bribe them to withdraw security so that they can come into your communities and continue to cause deforestation. As long as I am your governor, I will not allow it. Please just be peaceful and wait for further communication from me.”

The Chairman of the Elders Council of the communities, Philip Polo, thanked the governor for the improved security in Inikorogha community, noting that the essence of the peaceful protest was to inform the governor of the planned withdrawal of special forces from their community by some elements that are not happy with the peace in Inikorogha.

He said, “Our main protest is about security and safety in our community and the riverine area as a whole. For the past seventeen years, Inikorogha has been under siege by criminals and kidnappers. They killed as if they created human beings. Everybody was scared, people ran away from their homes. We had sleepless nights.”

The management of BUA Group, the cement producing company with plant located in Okpella, Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State, which is leveraging on the gains of the conducive business environment made possible by the Godwin Obaseki led administration’s ease of doing business policies has mobilized its workforce to the much talked about failed portion of the federal government owned Ekpoma – Abuja federal highway.

Much kudos for this goes to Governor Obaseki who had intimated the Honourable Minister of Works and Housing, Engr. David Umahi of the deplorable state of the road in and exacted a pledge from him to act immediately during a closed door meeting they held at the governor’s lodge in Benin City, in the course of his inspection of some ongoing federal road projects in Edo State in early March.

While addressing the media at the end of the fruitful meeting, the Minister had given kudos to governor for the high standard of some projects he saw that his administration is executing adding that he is not cutting corners to make sure that the best and most desirable is what is available for the people of the state.

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Much later that day while still in company of the Minister to monitor the situation at Ekpoma, the Edo State Commissioner for Roads and Bridges, Ethan Uzamere, stated that immediate remedial actions are set for Benin-Auchi Road with Dangote and BUA Cement. According to him, long-term plans involve road concessioning for sustainable infrastructure beyond the current administration.

He disclosed that a comprehensive plan has been proposed to alleviate the ongoing challenges, adding that a phased approach will be implemented, with one session dedicated to essential palliative measures, including the application of durable materials such as concrete.

The Commissioner promised to contribute an official land for the development project noting that efforts will be directed towards engaging relevant authorities and community stakeholders to ensure a smooth and uninterrupted execution of the proposed improvements. This collaborative approach aims to address the long-standing issues on Ekpoma Road and enhance the overall infrastructure for the benefit of the community.

A graduate of Chemistry from the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Anambra State, Juliet Chidiebube Uka, has scored 324 in the just concluded 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.

Uka was the best-graduating student in the Department of Chemistry at UNIZIK in 2021, graduating with a first class.

She said she sat for the 2024 UTME to study Medicine as she wants to fulfill her dreams of becoming a medical doctor.

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Her result made public, showed that she scored an aggregate of 324 in UTME as she seeks to re-enter the university.

Her elder brother, Obiora Uka, said his sister made up her mind to study medicine and surgery at all costs.

“She has demonstrated resilience through outstanding performance. She has maintained that her ambition is to become a doctor. This led her to write Jamb again this year 2024 and scored an aggregate of 324,” he added.

Obiora said the family hopes she can actualize her lifelong dream of becoming a medical doctor.

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Meanwhile, users of the social media app, X, have continued to the inflow of candidates’ results from the concluded 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, in its statement, disclosed that 1,402,490 candidates out of 1,842,464 failed to score 200 out of 400 marks.

Netizens have continued to display the results of some UTME candidates nationwide who had scored 300 and above.

One such is the daughter of a lecturer at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in Kaduna State; Toro Shehu, who scored 348 out of a total 400.