By Raphael Okhiria
The Transition Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Edo State, has presented its report to the Governor-elect, Senator Monday Okpebholo, on Monday in Benin City.
Chairman, and former deputy governor of the state, RT . Hon. Dr.Pius Odubu who presented the report to the governor elect, at a ceremony attended leaders of the party, including Senator Matthew Urhoghide, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, former governor Adams Oshiomhole, RT. Hon. Philip Shaibu, Senator Francis Alimekhena, RT. Hon. Patrick Ikhariale, amongst others.
Presenting the report, Odubu said it uncovered several issues during the three weeks of rigorous assignments, meetings, interactions, engagements, and analyses of the documents presented to the committee by the Edo State Government.
He said the committee report captures every perspectives, recommendations, and suggestion that could further be expanded for a more detailed and fact-finding effort to arrest the drift in the state.
The former deputy governor disclosed that the committee members carefully examined the five thematic pillars as presented by the government’s transition team and took time to look at other information availed the committee through its interactions with relevant stakeholders in the state.
“Your Excellency, it will interest you to know that the report being presented to you this afternoon, derived from our collective inputs during the several sessions we had as a team.
“We did not just carefully examine the five thematic pillars as presented by the government’s transition team, we took time to look at other information availed the committee through our interactions with relevant stakeholders in the state.
“We had robust meetings with the Nigeria Police and the Department of State Security with a view to having first hand information on the challenges and opportunities facing this important segment of our population in the course of deepening governance across the state.
“Our perspectives, recommendations and suggestions are well captured in this report as a work in progress that could further be expanded for a more detailed and fact-finding effort to arrest the drift in the state.
“Your Excellency sir, what we are presenting to you in this report is a summary of all the engagements and interactions during the course of our assignment. The scope of our work covers the terms of references and we are proud to state that you will find these recommendations meaningful and resourceful in the course of charting a new roadmap that will signpost a new dawn in Edo state.
“The issues involved are not only mutually exclusive but will form a strong basis to understanding the status report of our dear state.
“A snippet of some of our recommendations would suffice:
“For instance, we recommended a complete review of all MOUs on the management of the Central Hospital and Stella Obasanjo.
“We recommended that the local and foreign debts must be accounted for.
“All employment carried out in recent past should be canceled.
“The Governor should investigate the true ownership of the Ossiomo power plant and Raddisson Blu Hotel. The same with Museum of West Africa Arts- MOWAA. We deserve to know the state’s equity in these companies as the outgoing government went blank on these enquiries.
“We also demanded a comprehensive review of the world bank funded EdoBest program and a probe should be instituted to uncover its rather opaque operations.
“All major contracts issued by the state government under Ministry of Roads and Bridges should be reviewed as they appear not to have followed due process including the payment advance awarded to the contractors.
“The procurement agency indicted the government in its own report to the Transition Committee, hence we have advised the Governor to take a critical review.
“The ICT ecosystem should be streamlined as there appears to be duplication of duties.
“The outgoing government didn’t provide audited financial statements published or unpublished, hence the committee is advising the government to institute an enquiry into this.
“The government couldn’t account for the number of teachers in the state hence we demand a proper teacher head count,” Dr. Odubu added.
Receiving the report, the Governor-elect Senator Monday Okpebholo, thanked the 24 members transition committee for their commitment to work and put up a report, which he said would be very useful to his government upon assumption of office.
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