BY SAMUEL EGUAIKHIDE
“What is good coming to Edo State is that every time we come, something new is happening, there is progress not in terms of report but in terms of development” –Onno Ruhl, Country Director, World Bank.

AT a time many states and their chief executives are having credibility problems within and outside the shores of the country, the profile of Edo State under Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is soaring higher and higher. From all quarters, accolades are pouring in on the Governor for the quick but efficient way he is tackling the multifaceted problems facing the state.

From the ordinary man in the streets to the white-collared professional in the tastefully-furnished executive air-conditioned office, the testimonies are the same: “To God be the glory, Edo State is working again”.

The people are, of course, right to heave a sigh of relief as the state had been under a kind of siege in the past 10 years preceding the emergence of Comrade Oshiomhole as Governor.

Before now, virtually every public infrastructure had broken down: roads were dilapidated and impassable; schools were broken down and not conducive for learning; health centres were a shadow of their glorious past and many parts of Benin City, the state capital were ravaged by erosion. The people were suffering and they were not smiling about it. However, the story is not the same today as virtually all the 18 local government areas of the state have an imprint of governance-in-action.

In the area of education, the schools are being transformed from a gloomy past to a bright present and even a glorious future. The transformation of the schools transcend the schools in the state capital as other public schools across the 18 local government areas of the state are beneficiaries of the total school transformation programme of the government.

Already, such schools as Niger College, Idia College, Maria Goretti, Adolor College, all in Benin City; St John Bosco, Ubiaja, Anglican Grammar School, Igarra and Holy Trinity Grammar School, Sabongida Ora are beneficiaries of the government’s schools transformation exercise.

In the area of roads, all major roads in Benin City, the state capital are being worked on with some already completed and commissioned. Such roads as Stadium Road, Oba Market Road with street lights, walkways and drains and the popular Costain-Isorhorho Road (now renamed Gani Fawehinmi Layout) made up of five roads also complete with street lights, walkways and drains have been commissioned.

Also work on other roads like the Airport Road, Akpakpava Road, Sapele Road, Five Junction and its entire road layout, Ugbowo-Lagos Road, Iheya Road, Siluko Road and the entire Kings Square beautification with a world-class musical fountain and outside the state capital.

The reconstruction of the 30- kilometre Ayogwiri-Apana-Imiegba-Imiakebu Okpekpe Road; reconstruction of the Ekperi – Anegbette Road and Bridge; Jattu-Afowa-Iyora-Apana-Ayogwiri Road; Evboeghae-Ugo-Uronigbe Road; Jattu-Ibie road; Jattu-Ayua Road; Amedokhian-Ugboha Road (8.9km); Isua-Uzenema-Ebele Road (3.23km);  Irrua-Usugbenu-Ugbegun-Ebudin-Ujogba Road.

Auchi-Jattu-Afashio-Ikabigbo-Ojio Road (13.6km); Otuo-Ihievbe-Ogbe Road (18km); Igueben-Ewohimi-Ewatto-Ohordua-Emu-Okhuesan Road (32km);  Igueben-Udo Road (5.5km; Iguobazuwa-Umaza-Siluko Road (25km) and reconstruction of Uhen-Olumoye Road (10km) are ongoing.

In the health sector, the five-star 120-bed complex in the Central Hospital, Benin City is a sight to behold, even as work is ongoing on the Women and Children Hospital, Ewohinmi; Women and Children Hospital, Otuo; General Hospital, Sabongidda Ora and General Hospital, Igarra.

What is astounding is that all these projects are being worked on at the same time on a very lean budget and this is what befuddled the World Bank which through its Country Director, Onno Ruhl praised the Governor over the people-oriented projects and their high quality.

During the inauguration of the Steering Committee on Public Expenditure Management and Financial Accountability Review at the Government House in Benin City, Mr Onno Ruhl said: “Any major organisation like the World Bank that has to finance projects will be telling the world how wonderful the results we have achieved in Edo State are. Our challenge is to keep up with the pace at which you are going and how we can meaningfully help you”.

The World Bank Country Director said he was impressed that on every job site, there was a profound slogan, “People’s Tax at Work”, noting that when he visited the state six months earlier, he saw  fantastic plans, expressing joy that the plans were being faithfully implemented.

He observed that at the beginning, the people of the State were impatient because they wanted immediate results, saying that, “you have proved that it is better to plan carefully and do quality jobs.

“When I went to Five Junction, I saw people in the neighbourhood who never expected the government could come up to fix up the environment and they can now see the impact of development which is going on in the area,” he added.

According to him: “The place is even more impressive than the King’s Square. Though the King’s Square is very important, it is not every government that wants to fix the area where the people live and I saw what really impressed me and my team”.

On another visit to the state, Mr. Onno Ruhl noted that “what is good coming to Edo State is that every time we come, something new is happening, there is progress not in terms of report, but in terms of development.

“This is an example of a government delivering to its people and that is why we are very keen to being Edo State’s partner. We like to work with governments whether they are at the national or state level. We believe in delivering services to the people because that is the only way we as development partners can be relevant.”

The World Bank Country Director continued: “It is in the management of resources and the accountability in the system that the difference is between just spending money and delivering results”.

However, Onno Ruhl is not alone in the showering of praises on the Governor. His Royal Majesty, Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Oba of Benin and the His Excellency, the Ambassador of Nigeria to Italy were not left out in appreciating the transformation of the State from its former state of steady decline to rapid development.

While showering praises on the Governor for the “massive social and economic development” of the State at the Edo Leadership Assembly’s Annual Convention held in Atlanta, Georgia, recently, the Royal father, represented by the Enogie of Obazuwa, Prince Edun Akenzua, said the “the present Government of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has embarked on massive social and economic development of Edo State.

We therefore urge you all to join hands with the Oshiomhole administration in transforming education, agriculture and healthcare systems in our state to a level much higher than where we are now.”