News

Okpebholo’s Probe Committee and the Imperative of Transparency in Edo State,

Published

7 months ago

November 26, 2024

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Okpebholo’s Probe Committee and the Imperative of Transparency in Edo State,

By Augustine Osayande

In the ever-evolving discourse on governance and accountability, Edo State finds itself at a critical juncture. It is within this context that I seek to engage stakeholders and citizens alike on the necessity of transparency and responsible leadership.

Let me first extend my heartfelt congratulations to Senator Monday Okpebholo on his inauguration as the sixth democratically elected Governor of Edo State. His leadership represents not only a new administration but also a fresh opportunity to set a standard for integrity and progress.

The announcement of a 14-member State Assets Verification Committee by Governor Okpebholo signals an important step in addressing the pressing issues of governance. The committee’s mandate to audit the assets and liabilities of the previous administration, led by Governor Godwin Obaseki, is both timely and essential.

The committee’s inauguration on November 26, 2024, at the Festival Hall, Government House, Benin City, will mark the beginning of what promises to be a transformative process.
The committee is chaired by Dr. Ernest Afolabi Umakhihe, a figure whose expertise and credibility lend weight to the process, and deputized by Anslem Ojezua, a seasoned professional with deep roots in the state’s political and social fabric.

The committee’s membership reads as a roll call of Edo State’s best minds, including:
Prince Kassim Afegbua, Hon. Patrick Ikhariale, Mr. Taiwo Akerele, Hon. Patrick Idiake, Hon. Rasaq Bello-Osagie, Mr. Fredrick Unopah, Frank Osumuede Edebor Esq (Secretary), Mrs. Abdallah Eugenia, Hon. Patrick Obahiagbon, Pharm. Kenny Okojie, Mrs. Lyndsey Tes-Sorae, and Hon. Abass Braimoh.

These individuals represent a diverse cross-section of expertise, integrity, and commitment, ensuring the committee’s ability to deliver on its mandate.
Governor Okpebholo’s decision to establish this committee underscores his administration’s commitment to transparency and accountability.

In a statement issued by Fred Itua, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, the committee is described as vital for fostering robust governance processes and addressing gaps left by the previous administration. The Governor has emphasized that the limited records provided by the Obaseki administration make this verification process both urgent and necessary.

This initiative represents a decisive break from past practices. It sets a new standard for governance in Edo State, prioritizing the interests of its people above political convenience or administrative inertia. Central to this committee’s work is the alarming debt profile of Edo State. Under the previous administration, the state’s debt reportedly soared from ₦43 billion in 2016 to over ₦500 billion in 2024.

This staggering increase raises serious questions about financial management, transparency, and the effectiveness of previous developmental initiatives.
Who authorized the ₦30 billion loan for the Benin City Storm Water Drainage Project, which remains incomplete? What became of the ₦14.7 billion World Bank loan for Edo State? How were the ₦11 billion agricultural development loan and other funds utilized? Why was the ₦2.32 billion loan for Edo City Transport Service poorly accounted for? What happened to the ₦34 billion African Development Bank loan for critical water projects like the Ojirami Dam and Ugboha Water Works?

The absence of tangible developmental outcomes despite massive borrowing has eroded public trust and cast a shadow over the state’s financial future. These questions are not merely about assigning blame—they are a call for justice and a demand for lessons to prevent such fiscal mismanagement in the future.

The probe committee’s work must mark the beginning of a new era of accountability in Edo State. By thoroughly investigating the state’s financial history, identifying the individuals and processes responsible for mismanagement, and implementing reforms, the government can lay the groundwork for a sustainable and development-focused administration.

Accountability is not just a moral imperative—it is a practical necessity. Naming and shaming those who recklessly incurred debt or misappropriated funds serves as both a deterrent for future leaders and a reassurance to the public that governance is being taken seriously.

This initiative also presents an opportunity to establish a robust framework for fiscal responsibility:
Preventing reckless borrowing through stricter approval processes and oversight mechanisms. Ensuring proper project implementation and monitoring to avoid abandoned projects and wasted resources. Establishing penalties for financial mismanagement to deter future violations. Such measures will not only address past failings but also create a foundation for sustainable development and financial stability.

The people of Edo State are watching closely. They expect this probe to set a precedent for future administrations, demonstrating that public office is a trust to be honored, not a privilege to be exploited. The journey ahead is challenging, but it is also an opportunity to redefine governance in Edo State.

Governor Okpebholo’s leadership, combined with the efforts of the Assets Verification Committee, can usher in an era of transparency, integrity, and accountability. This is a moment for Edo State to rise above past shortcomings and chart a path toward a brighter, more prosperous future.

To achieve these goals, collective effort is essential. Stakeholders, citizens, and public servants must work together to support the committee’s efforts and hold the government accountable for delivering on its promises. Transparency and accountability are not the responsibility of government alone—they are a collective mandate that requires active participation and vigilance from all.

Let this probe committee’s work be the starting point of a transformative journey for Edo State. Together, we can rebuild trust, restore integrity, and ensure that governance truly serves the people. The people of Edo deserve nothing less.
■ Augustine Osayande, PhD contributed this piece from Abuja via austinelande@yahoo.com

News

VP Shettima’s Agricultural Assessment Visit To Ethiopia

Published

7 hours ago

June 28, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

VP Shettima’s Agricultural Assessment Visit To Ethiopia

By: Our Reporter

An agricultural economist by training whose love for agricultural transformation and development has never been hidden, as demonstrated recently when he visited the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan for an on-the-spot assessment of the Institute’s crops and resource potentials, Vice President Kashim Shettima today embarked on an assessment of the popular Adama Industrial Zone near Addis Ababa in Ethiopia.

Farms visited by the Vice President for the on-the-spot assessment included the Adama Dairy Farms, Luke Avocado Nursery site, Shera Dibandiba Mojo Family Integrated Farm, Biyyo Poultry Farm, and the Bishoftu Pea Farm.

While speaking on areas of agricultural collaboration between both countries, the Vice President ordered specialised coffee beans seeds for massive production in Nigeria while also directing the immediate training of selected Nigerian agricultural extension farmers on the production of specialized avocado seedlings for the Nigerian market.

VP Shettima also sought an exchange of mechanisation technologies between both countries, stressing that the potential of both Nigeria’s and Ethiopia’s agricultural sectors was capable of capturing world markets, especially when fully harnessed and exploited.

VP Shettima’s Agricultural Assessment Visit To Ethiopia

News

Leboku-in-Abuja 2025 Festival Celebrates New Year Festival to Bolster Nigeria’s Rich Cultural Heritage

Published

7 hours ago

June 28, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Leboku-in-Abuja 2025 Festival Celebrates New Year Festival to Bolster Nigeria’s Rich Cultural Heritage

By: Michael Mike

One of the nation’s most celebrated events, the New Year Festival would berth in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as the Kedei Seh Umor-Otutu, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy stage the Lenoku-in-Abuja 2025.

It promises to bolster Nigeria’s cultural heritage and showcase the rich cultural heritage of the Yakurr people in Cross River, the South-South and South-East in the nation and the world at large.

Addressing a pre-festival press conference in Abuja, President of Kedei Seh Umor-Otutu, a community-based association, Queency Patrick said the forthcoming festival with the theme: “A celebration of heritage, unity and harvest,” is one of the kind.

She explained that Lenoku-in-Abuja 2025 is an internationally acclaimed New Yam festival that is celebrated on August 30 in Abuja, under auspices of Kedei Seh Umor-Otutu, an association of Ugep people living in the FCT.

Patrick said: “Leboku-in-Abuja-2025 aligns with national goals of cultural preservation, inter-ethnic harmony and in promoting Nigeria as a cultural destination.

“The Federal Capital Territory provides the ideal backdrop to unite heritage and modernity, welcoming all who believe in peace, identity and pride of origin.

“For us, it is not just a cultural event, it is a call to national unity, peace and cultural tourism development.

“It is also an opportunity for us to showcase the rich cultural heritage of the Yakurr people in Cross River, the South-South and South-East in the nation and the world at large.”

She further explained that: “The event fosters appreciation of Nigeria’s diverse ethnic-root and culture. Leboku-in-Abuja is more than a festival, it is a stage for celebrating our cultural identity, building bridges through tradition and encouraging investment in the creative economy and tourism sector.”

According to her, Mr Obi Asika, DirectorGeneral/CEO of the National Council for Arts and Culture, had in a letter which formally endorsed the association’s collaboration with government described Leboku-in-Abuja, as annual New Yam Festival celebrated in Abuja by Yakurr people of Cross River.

Patrick further quoted him by saying the Leboku festival, deeply rooted in the traditions of the Yakurr people of Cross River, has long been a symbol of unity, celebration, and agricultural prosperity.

Asika, in the letter noted that: “Bringing this renowned festival to Abuja will provide a unique opportunity for cultural exchange, tourism development, and deeper appreciation of our diverse traditions.

“It aligns with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda and NCAC’s mandate to promote arts and culture, as essential drivers or Nigeria’s creative economy,” Asika added.

Patrick revealed the event would provide platform for public lecture, economic empowerment, traditional food festival, cultural and arts exhibition, sports, agriculture, trade and tourism development.

The event scheduled to hold at the Bolton White event centre, Wuse Zone 7, Abuja is centered on promoting unity and peace with the toga: “One Yam, One People.”

Leboku-in-Abuja 2025 Festival Celebrates New Year Festival to Bolster Nigeria’s Rich Cultural Heritage

News

Crisis brews in Gombe SDP as Yakubu emerges acting chairman

Published

10 hours ago

June 28, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Crisis brews in Gombe SDP as Yakubu emerges acting chairman

The Gombe State chapter of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has appointed a new chairman, Aaron Yakubu to serve in acting capacity following the suspension of its state chairman, Comrade Adamu Abubakar Modibbo, over allegations of mismanagement, lack of transparency, and misuse of party resources.

His suspension was announced at a news conference held in Gombe on Saturday by the party’s Welfare Secretary, Usman Yahaya, on behalf of concerned members of the state executive.

Reading the statement, Yahaya said there were countless complaints against the now suspended chairman, whom he said had side-lined party stakeholders and running the party like his personal property.

“Since Comrade Modibbo assumed office, the party has experienced no meaningful progress. Instead, the leadership claims he has used his position to witch-hunt loyal stakeholders and frustrated committed party members for his personal gain.”

He accused Modibbo of systematically “caging” the party’s executive members and aspirants, depriving over 90% of both returning and newly acting executive members of access to official SDP membership cards.

He further alleged that the selection of party candidates has been done without due process or consultation, with names being announced solely via national platforms involving prominent figures like Malam Nasir El-Rufai, thereby side-lining the state executive.
Yahaya also accused the suspended chairman of allegedly using his personal residence as the de facto party office.

This, the executives say, violates proper procedures and comes despite funds being made available to renovate the official state party office and rent offices across the local government areas.

“As it stands, the SDP in Gombe State does not have a functional or recognised operational office,”

In the light of the above weighty and numerous allegations against Modibbo, the Welfare Secretary said that the Gombe State chapter of the party has taken decisive action by suspending Comrade Adamu Abubakar Modibbo as chairman with immediate effect.

“In this regard, we hereby announce that the current State Secretary of the party, Mr. Aaron Yakubu, will now serve as the Acting State Chairman of the SDP in Gombe.

“Similarly, Ambassador Lukman Adamu Elkanem, previously serving as the Acting Assistant Public Relations Officer, has now been appointed as the Acting State Secretary of the party.”

Yahaya, on behalf of the state chapter of the SDP, appealed for intervention from the national body of the party to look into the allegations against the former chairman and to restore discipline, accountability, and credible leadership to the Gombe chapter of the party.

Speaking shortly in an interview, Yakubu said he would work to build inclusiveness in the party and ensure all party members were carried along in line with the constitution of the party.

He stated that out of the 13 working committee members of the party, nine were present and in support of the suspension of Modibbo.