The Edo State Government has said that the long-term impact of Governor Godwin Obaseki’s projects cannot be appreciated by the All Progressives Congress (APC) because they have always thrived on subversive politics which imperil the people for the gains of a few. The Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Hon. Chris Nehikhare, who said this in a statement, noted that it was regrettable that the APC would find the commissioning of the new Labour House and the construction of Temboga road as distasteful.
According to him, “It is curious to learn that the All Progressives Congress (APC) finds the building of a Labour House and the construction of an access road in the Temboga area in bad taste just because they want to play politics. “But we are not surprised by their lack of understanding because they have always been used to subversive politics that have never placed the people at the center of development. In their reasoning, projects should only be constructed for the benefit of few people, and not for the generality of the people. “If they had paid close attention, they would know that the Labour House project was ongoing for well over two years and was not hurriedly constructed as they are wont to do when they want to deceive unsuspecting members of the public.
The term ‘Greek Gift’ which they bandied carelessly is their go-to model and we are not sorry that the import of the project is lost on them.” He noted that the claim that Obaseki’s projects are not intended for long-term impact was laughable because the Governor is perhaps one of the few helmsmen in the State who has worked with the intention to bequest transformative projects that are targeted at future benefits.
He said: “From massive investment in basic education reforms which are intended to build a workforce of the future, to the impactful Edo State Oil Palm Programme (ESOPP) to the governor’s industrialization drive through private-sector led investments in power, energy and technology, no one else has demonstrated a better commitment to making Edo a State better prepared for the future. “The governor is finalizing the 30-year development plan, which will be enacted as law to ensure that the State maintains a defined development trajectory.
This is the best form of thinking and working for the future. But we know the APC cannot understand this because even at the national level, they have been unable to manage our fortunes leading to the halving of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the last 10 years. For them, there is no plan for the future, it is all about eating the ‘seed yam’”
The commissioner cautioned the APC to focus on constructive criticism and not waste their time on inanities, urging them to sell their candidate in the 2024 governorship election as a proper party if he truly has any merit rather than resorting to baseless press releases.
