GOVERNANCE : HOW OBASEKI IS CREATING NEW LANES OF INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENTS.
The scale of society’s evolving challenges gradually surpasses the capacity of government alone to address them.
And coping with the challenges, require governments collaborative efforts to look for innovative ways to reform and transform its operations and service provisioning models to its citizenry.
In Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration, we noticed a different class of initiatives, way ahead of past administrative space in which external ICT developments are capitalized by governments to transform from the outside-in
These initiatives reveal that government agencies can steer and shape the development of public–private platforms in a way that enables businesses to pursue their own interest whilst transforming business–government interactions and more generally serving collective interests and public value.
Recently our findings revealed that, once a public–private governance structure is accepted by stakeholders and adapted to fit with the technical dimensions of the information infrastructure, even platforms that are driven by the private sector can start to evolve in a way that enables extensive transformation of the operations of government.
Evidently, the administration of Godwin Obaseki is creating a new sustainable approach to governance distinctly miles ahead of Previous occupants of Dennis Osadebe Avenue with exception to the Late Samuel Ogbemudia.
This is by no means avenue to disrespect other successive administrators but close observation reveals that his repositories are proof of my take.
Under a creative common license, opportunities are available for all, but for those who put theirs to practice are real actors of the event.
The real actor here, is GOVERNOR GODWIN OBASEKI who is committed to pulling strings of parameter engagement using different modular operations in governance to sustain the momentum.
Unfortunately, most people who have engaged themselves in negative and linear criticisms of the government have blatantly refused to conform with the new dimension.
It will interest you to know that serious government build its structures on Four cardinal Pillars. These include; Economic Development, Infrastructural Development, Security and Social Development, and Sustainable Environment.
Looking at the framework of the Obaseki “mean business” administration, he has touched every area of the Four basic pillars in the near three years in office.
THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
On the first Basic Pillar, Obaseki has taken progressive strides in Tourism and Cultural development obvious enough to affirm his readiness to bring back economic values of old to a gauge.
Within the economic pillars, Tourism, Agriculture, Building and Construction, Manufacturing are factors that give the Big pillar a firm stand.
Governor Godwin Obaseki on Monday, November 12, 2018, two years into his administration, presented his administration’s scorecard to the state, with assurances of better days ahead.
Speaking at the Edo Summit held in Benin as part of activities to mark his second anniversary in office, the governor said his administration was enhancing confidence in tourism, leadership, governance and government.
Obaseki overtime noted that with the support of the Benin monarch, Oba Ewuare II, as well as the good people of Edo, Tourism will attract investors of valour to the state.
The NAFEST hosting right of the 2019 edition slated for Edo State sometime in October, is a true reflection of things properly put in place by the present administration.
This has led to Series of other contents across board. The festival can generates employment and empowerment if these window is harnessed
Another area Obaseki is breaking barriers is the Agricultural sector.
In 2017, the state government launched the pilot phase of the agripreneur scheme and by the first quarter of 2018, its rolled out the programme fully.
The agripreneur programme was part of the state government’s strategies to boost Micro, Small-scale and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and sustain current youth-focused agricultural initiatives in the state.
The agripreneur programme targets more than 55,000 youths who have indicated interest in agriculture through the Edo Jobs Scheme
During the transition of the initiative, Edo government says more than 55,000 youths in the state are expected to benefit from the agripreneur programme, and beneficiaries will become owners.
In so doing, this will stage major economic growth, enhance societal development and youths engagement.
INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT…..
Infrastructural development plays major role in enhanced development. Modern government actors, can be said to be unsuccessful if they pay less attention to this part of the pillars.
Here lies the strength of economic growth and administrative stability. Power, Transportation, Water and Communication are relevant in the scheme.
The Azura plant project coupled with other concerted efforts are testimonies of how the government has designed its templates to build a better state.
This hasn’t receive any reasonable support from electricity supply company (BEDC). The government has complained of how the power actors have refused to support this initiative. This has frustrated efforts to ensure stable power supply. It is almost a national issues.
However, the government is in touch to ensuring power supply is stable.
The age long abandoned State secretariat building embarked upon by the Governor and the renovation activities ongoing in various ministry is a clear indication of the government firm stand for workers welfare.
Workers productivity has a lot to do with the environment and Obaseki on sensing this, believes that for him to run a successful tenure, the workers play pivotal role hence his determination to reconstruct ultra modern facilities for the state workers.
For over time pensioners have continued to demand their payment wearing Black apparel to establish their displeasure with successive administrations. But in the last worker’s day celebration, it was all white outfit which is a clear indication of how they have faired with the government of governor Obaseki.
The Gelegele seaport project which is gradually levitating to its advance stage is also a proof of how the government is committed to creating job opportunities when completed and ready for use.
Communication is another area this administration has excelled. Trainings and retraining have boosted skills acquisition scheme and reduced unemployment rate amongst youths
In many cases, transformation starts from the inside-out (based on policy goals) and focuses on reorganization through ICTs.
One category of ICT innovations that is especially promising for such a transformation in this administration is that of information platforms (henceforth platforms), and teachers ICT base ongoing training to enhance work compliance which can be used to connect different stakeholders, (public and private). The training brought great relief to Teacher-Student class engagement.
Edo state government has also collaborated with Charity organizations in providing potable and clean water for rural settlers.
The Charity arm of the Latter Day Saint, LDS, has been actively involved in donations of borehole water to rural areas across the state with the Governor preparing grands for the rehabilitation of the state water board services.
Recall that for over a decade the water board services have been moribund.
SECURITY AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT…..
On his swearing in ceremony, the state Governor says security of life and property would be his priority and task.
Making truth his statement, Obaseki in collaboration with some consultant, flagged off Wabanzigan, christened Stop crime with apparatus to fastrack its job scope.
The Joint Task Force Job was designed to enforce community policing which primary assignment is to tackle cultism, a recurring decimal.
Notably, the Public Work Volunteers Scheme, PUWOV, set up by the state government has yielded pertinent results culminated from the clean up and organized City Centre. This has brought free flow traffic and a bit of sanity to the state.
On Education, the Universal Basic Educational scheme, UBE, is a framework that had brought about institutional transformation in Primary, Secondary and Tertiary institutions with over 7000 teachers trained on digital learning basic education sector.
The revamping of the Benin Technical College as well as consolidation framework put in place to give our colleges of education the right institutional transformation is another milestone signature of this administration.
SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT….
Although, erosion and flooding have ravaged part of the state, but the state government is seriously concerned about the plights of resident.
As part of the commitment to tackle the erosion upsurge, the state government in partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) have evolved a policy that will address the environmental challenges in the state
The National Programme Officer, UNIDO, Mr Reuben Bamidele, stated in a one-day validation workshop for “Edo Environment Policy” in Benin City, the state capital, on Wednesday, September 12, 2018, that the environment policy when developed would curb the activities that caused environmental degradation in the state.
He said human activities had continued to pose threat to the sustainability of environment.
The environmental policy is necessary to mitigate these changes,” he said.
He added that the residents would benefit from the implementation of the policy as it would help address flooding and other environmental challenges faced in the state.
Governor Godwin Obaseki in 2017 inaugurated the ‘Clean and Green Edo’’ Committee, saying it would serve as one of the key planks to drive environmental reforms in the state.
Inaugurating the committee at Government House in Benin, Obaseki noted that the state needed to be clean and conducive for investors to do business.
He urged people to come up with sustainable, implementable plans that will be easily keyed into by members of the public.
According to him, “the committee will be involved in the evacuation of waste, come up with sustainable strategies to convert waste to electricity and organic fertilizer, and get people in the state to plant trees.
Another mandate he gave was to promote the establishment of gardens and parks, as well as make most areas of the state green.
In ulfilment of Governor Godwin Obaseki’s promise to traders during a recent tour of major markets in the state, the state government has completed the installation of sanitary facilities, including toilets and potable water as well as power generating sets in 17 markets across the state.
Speaking during the handing over of the facilities to the traders, the Edo State Focal Person on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Mrs Ifueko Alufohai, maintained that the facilities was installed in fulfilment of Governor Godwin Obaseki’s promise to the traders.
She said the governor directed the SDGs programme to deliver the project within three months, noting, “with time, more markets in the state will benefit from Governor Obaseki’s promise.”
Although this is not to say there are no areas government need to improve upon which is a welcome development, but we should look at areas where government has also done well and give commendations.
However, the underlying notion is still one of a government seeking to improve itself (i.e. reform rather than transform),
This administration had achieved a lot of transformation and reforms in many sectors of governance precisely on standardization of work ethics.
Standardization is key for enabling large volumes and hence, real transformation.
The collaborative realization of public values and business goals in Governance and infrastructure of public–private information is the key drive of this administration, thankfully, Obaseki is gradually fitting the system to achieve this.
The reforms and transformation in government, in terms of changes in the organization, operations and governance of the public sector framework, has been Obaseki’s stimulated priorities.
(PUNCH)
