Okpebholo Creating Investment-friendly Environment For Growth In Edo – Commissioner

Edo State government has said the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo is creating an investment-friendly environment to stimulate economic growth and encourage citizens’ participation in government policies and programmes.

The commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, who spoke during the monthly press briefing in Benin City, said the government was committed to building a robust system that would enhance the ease of doing business and attract investors to the state.

According to him, Edo State is richly blessed with enormous human and material resources, including limestone, coal, gold and vast arable land spread across different parts of the state.

He, however, noted that without a functional and properly coordinated system, investors may be discouraged from doing business in the state.

“Edo State has enormous human and material resources. It has huge potential in the areas of limestone, coal, gold and arable land, but if you don’t have a functioning system in place, the ease of doing business may hamper those willing to come and invest.

“The system must be robust and show a clear direction of what we intend to achieve as a state,” Afegbua said.

The commissioner explained that the administration was steadily making progress through infrastructural renewal across the state, stressing that contractors handling government projects were being paid promptly upon presentation of certified work done.

“We are not owing contractors. We pay contractors that show evidence and certificates of jobs executed.

We are also utilizing the dry season to fast-track road construction and school renovation projects across the state,” he added.

Afegbua further disclosed that the state government had procured 50 Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, buses, popularly called “Akpako buses,” to ease transportation challenges faced by residents across the three senatorial districts.

According to him, the initiative forms part of the government’s response to the daily transportation needs of the people.

“The Governor Monday Okpebholo administration has taken delivery of 50 forty-two-seater CNG buses known as ‘Akpako buses’ to ease transportation concerns across the three senatorial districts.

“The buses will soon be deployed for public use to reduce the stress commuters go through daily. We are targeting 100 buses, while another batch of 50 buses will be delivered soon,” he said.

Afegbua maintained that the government was focused on creating an atmosphere that would encourage investment and secure public support for government programmes and policies.

“No matter how beautiful a government policy or programme may be, if the people do not buy into it, implementation may become difficult. You need drivers of change who understand and are properly sensitized to drive such initiatives to fruition,” he stated.

The commissioner also urged residents to support government efforts by helping to sensitize others on the objectives behind government policies.

He said: “While people expect government to do virtually everything, we are also appealing to citizens to help synthesize and explain the rationale behind government policies because such efforts ultimately benefit society.”

On climate concerns, Afegbua revealed that the Federal Government had issued alerts to states over impending flooding and erosion linked to climate change.

He said the Edo State Government was already taking proactive measures through the construction of drainage channels and other flood control infrastructure to mitigate the impact of heavy rainfall.