The agenda before Godwin Obaseki

BY GODFREY ADEJUMOH

The discourse of development as a concept comes with some complexities, as no singular perspective holds a perfect answer to what development means. While this argument will continue for ages in and out of academy circles, there is a general consensus that development is about improving the standard of living of the masses.

Improving the standard of living of the masses is not an achievement that is attained at the speed of light. It requires being deliberate in crafting strategies that range from short to medium and long term in implementation. The careful execution of these strategies through policy formulations and effective management of processes and people in methodic and rational ways will in the long run yield the result of improving the standard of living of the masses.

Bringing this home to our focus of discussion is that the new governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki has come on a better platform than his immediate past predecessor, Adams Oshiomhole. This is clearly the case as the latter met the State in a near state of collapse. From education to health, roads, workers welfare, and unemployment to mention but a few. Coming from this background it was quite easy for the Oshiomhole-led government to embark on provision of basic amenities and celebrate them as landslide achievements.

The beauty of that administration as observed was the attempt to set the state on the part of industrialization which was manifested in the attraction of private sectors to invest in the state. This easily brings to mind the proposed first Integrated Produce City (IPC) in Nigeria. The direct and indirect employment opportunities it holds for the state are enormous. Still on this trend of industrializing the state the immediate past governor also got Dangote to open one of its cement plants in the state. Again, this is another good step in the right direction of industrializing the state and moving it away from the civil service state it is at the moment.

For Godwin Obaseki, he has his work clearly cut out for him. Top of this is consolidating on what the past governor started both on the side of improving basic things in the areas of; roads construction, education, health, workers welfare and more. What is more important that will be called the achievement of this new government is not necessarily in how many roads were constructed, schools built, hospitals built, yes these are important but they are given and should not be celebrated as achievements in this time and age.

What we should see and call achievements in this new government will be the ability of the state to embark on more strategic initiatives that will move the state away from its present civil service positioning to a state of diverse sectorial development. Opportunities abound in sectors like agriculture which the past government has started a good work on through the Integrated Produce City (IPC) project. Opportunities abound in the solid minerals sector of the states that it has in enormous across the states. Opportunities abound in the tourism potential of the state that no government has given a thought to explore. This is inherent in the rich cultural heritage of the states that traverse the Benis to the Esans, Akoko –Edos and other tribes in the state. What can we make of these that will make the state a destination arcade and haven for tourist to explore?

The job for Godwin Obaseki is clear, celebrating roads construction, building of classrooms and the likes as achievement is not the expectation I have of him and his team. These things are given and should be seen as such. Therefore let no one call the President or the media to come and celebrate the government’s achievements in 100 days or one year in office and what they have to show are the things we are used to. There is something bigger about the state called Edo. That thing lies in exploring its potential that will open it for private sectors to invest in different sectors of the state and strategically move it towards industrialization.

We should not forget that Edo state, like other states in the country has a vibrant teeming population of youths. This government needs to harness the potential of these youths in the areas of agriculture, sports, ICT, entertainment and more through capacity building schemes that will re-direct and re-focus their vibrancy into social economic productivity.

I am one person that believes, it is possible to achieve this and more in this government. Till date no one remembers how many roads Donald Duke of Cross Rivers State constructed, but the world remembers him for making the state the biggest tourism detestation in Nigeria through the Calabar Carnival, Obudu mountain race and more. We must come to the realization that in governance, a leader is accountable to the people and posterity stand to judge his achievements.

This is what the present governor and his team should sit down and distil the how to, such that after four years, we should see that truly Edo is on the continuous rise and on the path of greatness by becoming the next big thing for the private sectors both local and international to invest in.