• Obaseki tasks corps members on ‘change initiative’
Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
As more investors indicate interest in the Benin Industrial Park project, the Edo State Government has initiated a parley with stakeholders in the communities hosting the project, on the removal of any community-related encumbrances and set the stage for a hitch-free development of the park.
Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Osarodion Ogie, said: “The Town Hall meeting will discuss the environmental and social impact assessment exercise and resettlement action plan, with respect to the Benin Industrial Park project.”
He said the meeting will hold today at the Enogie of Oghobaghase Dukedom palace in Obaretin community, on Benin-Sapele Road.
Ogie said the Chairman of Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area, the Enogie of Oghobaghase Dukedom, Edionwere, elders, members of Agbomoba, Ekosa and Iyanomo communities are to attend the meeting, and urged other interested parties to attend and participate as relevant information would be shared at the venue.
The Federal Government, through the Nigerian Export-Import (NEXIM) Bank joined the growing number of private investors, to express its readiness to support the park’s development and build local capacity to meet export standards, with three funding windows running into N553 billion.
In related development, the state Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has expressed readiness to establish an ambulance service and a toll-free line to enable citizens access first responders in cases of emergency.
Obaseki disclosed this during his investiture as state patron of the Red Cross Society, the state chapter, held at Government House, Benin.
He pledged to continue to support humanitarian bodies and donated two ambulances to the state chapter of the society, to enhance its services during emergencies.
“You are part of our healthcare infrastructure and ecosystem. We will actively collaborate with the society,” he said.
Obaseki ordered the lifting of the ban on social clubs in schools to enable Red Cross Society operate in public schools, as they already have a presence in private schools across the state.
Earlier, the society’s chairman, Mr. Festus Alenkhe, commended the governor for his developmental strides, especially in the area of infrastructure development.
Meanwhile, Obaseki has admonished corps members posted to the state to embrace the federal government’s programme, ‘Change begins with me’, in order to restore the nation’s dignity, pride and values.
He gave the admonition yesterday, at the closing ceremony of the 2018 Batch ‘A’ corps members, held at the National Youth Service Commission (NYSC) camp, Okada, in Ovia North East Local Government Area of the state.
The governor, represented by his deputy, Philip Shuaibu, said to embrace the ‘Change begin with me initiative’, they must eschew internet fraud, armed robbery, thuggery, kidnapping, drug addiction, cultism, violence and prostitution.