By Oladipo Airenakho
Benin City – Edo State governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has expressed optimism that his administration would speedily bring the desired succor to the people of the state through participatory governance.
The Governor said this on Tuesday when he received the final report of the recent three-day strategic retreat with the theme: “Strategic Dialogue, Setting the Agenda for the New Administration” held between Dec 8 and 10.
Receiving the reports from the Strategic Planning Units led by former Secretary to State Government Prof Julius Ihonvbere, Governor Obaseki commended the participants who had redefined the basis of governance through effective dialogue on development.
He said that administration of former Governor Adams Oshiomhole, in the last nine years, laid the foundation upon which his own administration would fast-track development of the state.
According to him, “the journey started nine years ago which confidence is being seen today because the steps taken then are now yielding results.
“The difference is that we have moved beyond the political speech to action, as the dialogue on development commenced with the theme Strategic Dialogue.’’
Obaseki, who expressed gladness over the consensus now already being built on, however, advised the team that there was the need to drill down on the first three key areas which he listed to include social welfare, institutional revolution and industrialization.
He opined that this would make for visible time frame for actualization and implementation of the budget.
The Governor said that the challenge in the state was not monetary or financial rather that of approach to development.
He therefore noted that the report was more significant than could be imagined.
He further directed that the report be uploaded to the State’s portal and website so that Edo citizens in diaspora could participate and follow in its implementation.
“Like I said before, the challenge we have is not monetary or financial but approach to development. This report is much significant than can be imagined.
“This dialogue is not closed, the report should be uploaded to the State portal and website so that those outside the country and state can participate”, Obaseki further said.
Earlier, Ihonvbere said they were in government house to submit final report from the Strategic Dialogue retreat.
He disclosed that 150 participants participated in the dialogue, adding that the team came up with 123 quick wins, 93 short term and 61 medium and long term approaches.
He said that the team also observed that the Edo Government priority was not just to focus on growth but also to pursue sustainable, holistic, people focused and people driven development.
