Niger Delta
ThisDay award, Affirmation Of Oborevwori’s Performance — Commissioner
Delta State Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, has said the sterling performance of the State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, stood him out for the ThisDay and Arise Television award.
Aniagwu stated this on Monday in Asaba at a press conference while reacting to a statement credited to former Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege, demanding to know what the state government has done with its finances.
The Commissioner, in company of the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Sir Festus Ahon, and the Executive Assistant to Governor on New Media, Mr. Felix Ofou, said government would reply critics with more projects.
He said the Governor Oborevwori-led administration had defrayed over N235 billion debts from inherited projects and had initiated new ones.
According to him, the Governor is a bridge builder who does not discriminate against anyone on account of political affiliations.
He said the Governor had impacted all sectors of the state’s economy and had initiated new projects and in 2024 budgeted N1 billion for road projects across the 25 Local Government Areas in the state.
Aniagwu said given the impact of the LGA road projects, the State Government has also in 2025 increased the budget to N2.1 billion for road projects across the LGAs.
The Commissioner said the State Government has awarded over 15 kilometers of road projects in the Ndokwa Nation in addition to the many ongoing bridge constructions in the area.
According to Aniagwu, the sterling performance of Governor Oborevwori in the past 19 and half months has become the undoing of critics.
He said on account of the N1 billion budgeted for road projects across LGAs, the State Government has been able to take road projects to the community and to ward levels in the 25 LGAs.
He also said the State Government’s contributions to the education and judiciary sectors were unprecedented.
The Commissioner said the Oborevwori government has acquired and donated over 60 brand new vehicles among other gadgets to security agencies to combat crimes in the state.
He also said the government has initiated and commenced the construction of 50 units of pilot housing scheme in three locations across the three senatorial districts of the state, adding that the state capital, Asaba, would soon wear a brand new look.
Aniagwu continued that the Governor pays salaries and allowances of civil servants as and when due and was prompt in payment of the new minimum wage to the workers.
“In health sector alone, the government has renovated and equipped no fewer than 150 health care facilities across the state.
”The Governor believes in value for money, hence he engages in physical project monitoring. He has also charged the commissioners to monitor and avoid shoddy jobs if they want to remain or be shown the way out.
“We give as much as 40 per cent mobilisation and pay certificates to contractors to ensure timely completion of projects and to avoid contract reviews and in spite of all this, we remain solvent and solid financially, we have not borrowed a dime from anyone.
”So, our brother, Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege need to be educated on what we are doing with our monies”, Aniagwu said.
Aniagwu warned individuals who engage in grabbing government lands to desist forth with, adding that government would not only demolish such buildings, but would subject the culprits to pay the bills for the demolitions.
He said the Governor was concentrating on good governance and would not be distracted by those whose trade in stock was to defect from one political party to another.
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Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has assured corps members deployed to the state of improved welfare and a supportive service year.
Okpebholo gave the assurance at the swearing-in ceremony of the 2026 Batch ‘A’ Stream I corps members last Friday at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Permanent Orientation Camp in Okada.
The Governor also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to youth empowerment, safety and entrepreneurship.
Represented by the Commissioner for Youth Affairs, Mrs. Charity Amayaenvbo, the Governor urged corps members to embrace innovation, community service and self-reliance rather than wait for white-collar jobs.
“Edo is committed to supporting youth empowerment, entrepreneurship and incentives that turn ideas into enterprises.
“Do not wait for jobs, create value. Wherever you are posted, serve your host community with humility, dedication and compassion.
“Have a positive footprint and let your service contribute to unity, productivity and progress,” he said.
Okpebholo assured the corps members that the state government was attentive to their welfare and had started addressing key concerns raised by the NYSC leadership.
“On behalf of the state government, I assure you of our support in terms of safety, an enabling environment and a rewarding service year.
“I listened carefully to the requests highlighted by the state coordinator, and I am glad to inform you that some of them have already been captured in the 2026 budget, which has been approved and signed into law,” he said.
The Governor noted that provisions for accommodation, meal subsidies, logistics and the construction of a multipurpose hall at the camp were included in the budget.
Earlier in her address, the Edo State Coordinator of the NYSC, Dr. Frances Ben-Ushie, described the ceremony as a reflection of the state government’s commitment to youth development and national integration.
Ben-Ushie said as of midnight on Thursday, a total of 1,235 prospective corps members, comprising 531 males and over 700 females, had been duly registered.
She congratulated the corps members on their enlistment into what she described as a “noble scheme,” urging them to embrace discipline, learning and active participation throughout the orientation course.
“The NYSC platform provides a unique avenue to meet people from diverse backgrounds, build lifelong friendships and create networks that can open doors to greater opportunities,” she said.
Ben-Ushie also highlighted the contributions of the NYSC to the state’s development, noting that the scheme had consistently provided skilled manpower, promoted labour mobility and strengthened national unity.
She cited initiatives such as the Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers and the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme as key interventions benefiting communities across the state.
The NYSC coordinator commended the state government for its support, including the provision of buses for corps members, and appealed for further intervention to address lingering operational challenges at the orientation camp.
She expressed confidence that resolving the issues would enhance the effectiveness of NYSC programmes in the state and thanked the Governor for prioritising the welfare, security and growth of corps members.
The Edo chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday condemned the state government’s reported plan to establish a state-owned airline.
The party, in a statement by its Edo State Publicity Secretary, Mr. Dan Osa-Ogbegie, described the proposal as a misplaced priority and evidence of poor, disconnected governance.
The Tide’s source reports that the State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, unveiled the airline plan during a meeting with Aviation Minister, Mr. Festus Keyamo, in Abuja.
Osa-Ogbegie said the proposal showed a government out of touch with the pressing challenges confronting Edo State residents.
“At a time of decaying infrastructure and stalled projects, establishing an airline is unrealistic and profoundly insensitive”, he said.
He argued that airlines were capital-intensive and technically demanding, noting that similar state-owned ventures in Nigeria had largely failed.
According to him, Benin has become a shadow of what a modern state capital should be.
He decried poor roads, collapsed urban planning, neglected drainage systems and weak municipal services across the state capital.
“This is a crying shame for a city of Benin’s history, heritage and enormous potential”, he said.
Osa-Ogbegie said several inherited projects had stalled or deteriorated, eroding investor confidence and undermining economic growth.
He accused the governor of pursuing “white elephant projects that offer optics without substance.”
He also cited ongoing flyover projects in parts of Benin as examples of poor prioritisation.
Against this background, he described the airline proposal as diversionary and lacking economic sense.
“When roads are barely motorable and services overstretched, proposing an airline betrays an absence of judgment,” he said.
He urged the government to abandon the plan and focus on people-centred priorities that would improve living conditions and spur growth.
“Edo does not need an airline to fly above its problems. It needs a government ready to confront them on the ground,” he said.
He warned that failure to refocus would deepen perceptions of an administration lacking direction, competence and a coherent development agenda.
Students of Federal Polytechnic, Ugep, Cross River State, have protested to the Governor’s Office in Calabar over an alleged plan to appoint a non-indigene as Rector for the institution.
Carrying placards with various inscriptions, the students demanded respect for catchment area policy, local content, and the appointment of an indigene of the state as Rector of the institution.
Speaking on behalf of the students in Calabar, Stephen Etem said the protest sought to alert the Federal and Cross River State Governments to an alleged deviation from the established rectorial selection process.
Etem said a Governing Council, chaired by Sen. Florence Ita-Giwa, was constituted by the Federal Government to conduct the Rector selection exercise.
“The screening, which began last year, reportedly produced a Cross River State indigene as highest scorer and recommended candidate.
“Information available to us suggests that the alleged recommended candidate’s name might be substituted at the Federal Ministry of Education.
“We urge the Federal Government to uphold the council’s recommendation because altering the process could threaten peace in the institution,” he noted.
Responding at the Government House, Mr. Goddie Akpama, the Special Adviser on Intelligence to the State Governor, Bassey Otu, appealed for calm, saying the Governor was away but would be briefed.
Akpama advised the students to submit written petitions through appropriate channels, avoid inflammatory language, and engage authorities to ensure stability and uninterrupted academic activities.
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