Obaseki Inaugurates 20-man Transition Committee

Four months before the end of his administration, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has inaugurated a 20-member transition committee to pilot the smooth transition of power to the next administration.

The committee is chaired by a former commissioner for finance, Mr. Joseph Eboigbe.

Obaseki inaugurated the committee yesterday at the EXCO Chambers in Government House, Benin City, with some members joining virtually.

The governor said, „Today is the 11th of July, 2024, and it will mark exactly four months to the day I will hand over the government to the next elected governor of Edo State. As it‘s global best practice, I am putting together a transition team that would be responsible for documenting this administration‘s achievements in the last eight years.

„The team will look and retrieve all documents and all other materials relating to policy decisions that have been taken by this administration in every area of government and governance over the last eight years and put them in a structured order in a data room. I believe that most of these materials have almost been digitised.

„A proper digital and regular data room would be created where all documents related to every activity, contract, EXCO decision, presentation, and policy paper in every area will be retrieved, documented, and chronicled as it will serve as institutional memory for the next and subsequent administrations.“

He continued: „You will all put together reports on each area and aspect of government we have intervened in and recommendations for the next administration.

„This document and resources should serve to smoothly transfer power and knowledge from this administration to the next. We would have both the physical and digital repository of all the information and decisions taken during the life of this administration as these documents will be relevant both for internal and external consumption and research and possibly policy development.

„This report will also give a detailed account of strategic vision and outlook of the administrative structure, policy impact, and completed programmes and initiatives as well as uncompleted programmes and initiatives to enable the incoming administration know where to take off from.“

Obaseki charged, „This report should be completed before 30th of October 2024, as this document will form parts of what will be handed over during the transition period on November 11th, 2024.“

In his response, Eboigbe promised that the committee members would diligently discharge their duties, pledging to deliver the report within the timeline given by the governor.