SOME former governors and deputy governors of Edo State were present on Tuesday as Governor Mr Godwin Obaseki launched the 30 years Benin City and Edo Regional Development Plan setting a path to a new Edo Nation which he said has no political inclination as being peddled in some quarters.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The former governors present were Chief Lucky Igbinedion and his successor, Professor Oserheimen Osunbor while the former deputy governors were Rev. Peter Obadan and Chief Mike Ogiadomhe.
Obaseki who appreciated the former governors and former Deputy Governor present at the official launch said the document is a living one that would help re-enact the culture of planning.
Obaseki said “These plans have been carefully put together and we have consulted widely across the State to ensure participation of our citizens. Our people have been involved in this process and will continue to be involved because it’s a living document not static.
“They are subject to review every five years and there will be six reviews at the life span of these documents. Today, we are glad that we have been able to make a significant departure from what we met.
“We did our first fly over the State in 2017 and it became clear to us that beyond issuing titled documents we needed to plan for the State following what we saw. We saw a disordered mode of development particularly Benin City.
“Also concerned about the growing trend where almost 50 per cent of the population were migrating to Benin City and the lopsided development needs to be addressed and dealt with”.
The governor said the crisis the State and the nation is facing today is because the country has failed to understand that tomorrow will come and “we failed to plan for it. As a people, we have always planned and taken our future and destiny in our hands as Edo people.
“We would not be different today as we would continue to plan for our future. Thank all those that have worked over the last two years putting the plan together and today we are launching it. I believe we are set for the future and set to restoring the new Edo Nation.
“By the grace of God when we leave office on November 12th, the administration that will take over from us would have inherited what we never had the privilege to inherit, a master plan that will guide them into the future”.
In her welcome address the Commissioner for Physical Planning Housing Urban and Regional Development Isoken Omo said 700,000 homes were visited while 27 different groups were engaged before the document was made to ensure their inputs.
She said “The Portuguese said Benin City was more beautiful than Lisbon in the 15th Century, we want Benin City to be back to that era.”