By Odeon Kodalo
Unhappy with the rate of helpless children in the oil-rich state of Edo in Nigeria, Businessman-turned politician and Governor of the state, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has asked those planning to celebrate his 58th birthday to stop.
The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. John Mayaki, who disclosed this in Benin City recently, said: Mr. Obaseki is “unhappy with the rate of helpless children in the state and he had been making moves to curb the spread and rectify the social damage.”
“Obaseki has been worried and taking steps to end the societal stigma of helpless children living of the streets and witnessing the worst parts of life before they have even had a chance to live. He will not rest until he has addressed this satisfactorily,” Mayaki said.
According to him, the governor has met with religious leaders and tried to upswing education in the state, and decided that funds that should have been directed to advertising felicitations for his birthday be donated to charity and orphanages in the state.
Mayaki said his boss wants all those who are interested in celebrating with him to make donations to the WeCare Trust, a charity established by Mrs. Iara Oshiomhole, wife of Former Governor Oshiomhole.
Obaseki has said he will not accept such celebrations which could take the form of placing advertisements across the various media platforms on the anniversary of his birth followed by visits to the government house and his private residence with greeting cards.
The governor’s birthday is July 1st and will be the first since he took office as governor from erstwhile labor leader-turned Governor, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole seven months ago, following an election which is still being contested at the nation’s Supreme Court .
Meanwhile, a village for metal fabrications is soon to take off in Edo state, following a Memorandum of Understanding Mr. Obaseki signed during the week with the Nigeria Institute of Welding (NIW) led by its President, Dr. Solomon Edebiri.
Obaseki, who revealed that the MoU was to fast-track industrialization in the state, assured the body of power supply to the proposed fabrication site.
“Industrialization is at the core of my administration; at the core of industrialization is fabrication, and welding drives fabrication. We are very excited to work with you and it is an understanding that we will give life to,” he emphasized.
Dr. Solomon Edeberi, said the signing of the MoU represented the level of confidence the state government had in the institute adding, “We will work to actualize your vision of a technologically driven state and bring up a center for welding and technology.”
The MoU is coming on the heels of a plan by Edo state government to establish a Ministry of Mining to fast-track the development of mining activities in the state, made public at the end of a two-day workshop on Solid Mineral Development organized by the administration.
“Mining has been a federal affair with states having little roles to play; but we have seen the clarifications that have been made by the minister of solid minerals. It used to be a portfolio restricted to the federal government,” Obaseki noted.
“We want to restructure mining in Edo, and in the portfolio we have created, a commissioner will oversee the ministry of Mining.”
According to him, the ministry would be charged with the responsibility of gathering data, forming policies, implementing and regulating mining activities. He disclosed that over 250 mining licenses had been obtained in the State already.
Mining, as a business, could be more profitable, explained the governor, if it were Market-Demand-Driven and carried out by large-scale miners, not solely by small-scale artisans.
He said that the state would come up with environment standards to regulate pollution concerns associated with mining activities, and sought for the support of private investors in the mining sector to help in training skilled miners in the state.
Some of the participants at the event included the Minister of Mines and Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi who commended the workshop initiative, saying it would have a positive impact on mining activities in the state.
