BY OKHAKUMHE IJEBOR
TO allay the ingrained fears and in deference of the average Edolite and consequently restore their hope for an era of good governance and prompt and equitable delivery of democracy dividends, Senator Osunbor pointedly said in his inaugural speech on May 29, 2007: “I wish to assure you that during my tenure in office and by the special grace of Almighty God, Edo State will be restored to a position of glory and greater heights of excellence.

Sons and daughters of Edo State have in the past demonstrated and continued to demonstrate that we have the talent, capacity, competence and all it takes to build and promote the welfare and well-being of the people.  I believe we can turn things round”.

Within weeks of his inauguration, Senator Osunbor directed the desilting of blocked drains, the renovation of health institutions and schools across the state and the resuscitation of other moribund and neglected rural and urban infrastructure. A very critical area where the new government’s attention was very visible and felt was the terrible security situation in the state, pre-May 29, 2007.

The Osunbor Administration gave new fillip to the entrenchment of a near-crime free environment in Edo State by initiating an award scheme for gallantry worth N1 million as compensation for both injured and deceased servicemen attached to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in the state.

In the area of logistics and communications, the Osunbor Administration  handed over 37 brand-new Hilux Four Wheel Drive utility vehicles, fitted with modern communications gadgets, to the police for enhanced operational deployment and use. In addition, the government donated another set of the same model of utility vehicles to other law enforcement agencies in the state.

The Osunbor Administration pursued, with vigour, the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the bad roads in the state.

The dismal and disused state of the roads in Edo State (especially the ones in the Benin metropolis) at the time the Osunbor Administration came on stream on May 29, 2007, would have scared any chicken-hearted “leader”. On December 3, 2007, Senator Oserheimen Osunbor, the then Executive Governor of Edo State,  presented cheques amounting to N2.4 billion (representing 25 percent mobilisation fees) to 14 contractors for the reconstruction, rehabilitation and maintenance of 28 roads in Benin City and other areas of Edo State.

In the first phase, a total sum of N9.7 billion was expended to restore the 28 roads to a motorable state, thereby jump-starting the hitherto comatose social and economic activities in the affected areas. Before this period, the Osunbor Administration devised a short-term interventionist strategy to maintain some of the worst-affected ones within Benin City as the rainy season was still on.

With the coming of the dry season, the then Governor gave marching orders to the 14 contractors to step up the tempo of their work and complete the projects before the Administration’s first-year anniversary which was celebrated on May 29, 2008.

It is instructive to note that the then Osunbor Administration did not misplace its priorities by concentrating on prestigious and grandiose “along the road” projects to the neglect of inner city roads that are of more relevance and utility to the average Edolite.

Fast-tracking economic resurgence

The institution of a radical and aggressive approach to policy, programme and project implementation that kick-started the tempo and pace of economic activities ultimately evolved a durable economic base that would have  helped to promote, stimulate and entrench economic activities in Edo State if the life of the administration was not judicially short-circuited.

Governor Osunbor personally visited the Chemical Plant at Ikpeshi in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area, the Fruit Juice Processing Factory at Ehor in Uhunmwode Local Government Area (which were allegedly sold off by the past administration) and the Cassavita  Plant at Uromi in Esan North East Local Government Area.

Task of re-engineering Edo State

For almost a decade before the advent of the Osunbor Administration in May 2007, the people of Edo State were traumatised by consistent unfulfilled  state promises and forlorn hope.  Edo State became a metaphor for under-development, bad and unmotorable roads, devastating erosion and flood-prone areas, insecurity of life and properties and general malaise and despair.

After two tenures that lasted from1999 to 2007 and attracted over N160 billion in total net allocation that included Net Statutory Allocation, Crude Oil Excess Proceeds/Additional Allocation and Value Added  Tax, the people of Edo State were famished for the prompt delivery of democracy dividends  and good and focused governance that was lacking in those Years of the Locust.

The election of Senator Oserheimen Osunbor signalled the dawn of a New Era of Taking Edo State to greater heights of excellence.

It is salutary to note that the verifiable strides that he made within the short tenor of his truncated tenure which includes the completed and on-going programmes and projects were conceived and executed without accessing huge loans that has presently become an art of governance in Edo State and has become a fiscal albatross round the necks of all Edolites.

Will Prof. Osunbor take up the gauntlet and rise to the challenge of discerning Edo people who are yearning for good governance, due diligence, accountability, equitable distribution of dividends of democracy and above all, a government with a human face?

As the PDP engages the season of governorship primaries in Edo State, it is the prayers of PDP members and outsiders alike that the party should put its BEST FOOT FORWARD in the race for Osadebay Avenue, Benin City.