By Comrade Orobosa Omo-Ojo JP
UNDERSTANDABLY, many political commentators have inundated me with diatribes since the Executive Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo successfully delivered his first budget to the state House of Assembly, yesterday December 10, 2024.
The most outlandish reaction I received, although fittingly, came from a section of the opposition…”Epa una too do dis wan sha!!! Na our governor no fit read 123 so”; “Comrade Publisher, we go tear your shirt for dis Okpebholo mata o.”
Another attacker sneaked into my DM with this: “Epa, why did you guys allow this calamity befall Edo?” While a bipartisan gentleman that recently became Senator Okpebholo’s convert wrote: “Oga, una governor say figures dey confuse am, he couldn’t pronounce the figures in the 2025 Appropriation bill, chai. I be don dey like this man oh!”
To all that fired missiles at me – friendly and unfriendly, I understand why, having promoted our party’s candidate as Director of Publicity. But be rest assured that Senator Monday Okpebholo was and still remain the best route to rapid development of Edo State, irrespective of the human error that few persons are attempting to interpret out of mere ‘printers devil’.
As a practising journalist, I have watched all the democratically elected governors from the sideline since the 1992 administration of Chief John Odigie-Oyegun; His Excellency Lucky Nosakhare Igbinedion; Prof Oserheimen Osunbor, and to that of my teacher, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and in all, my forecasts have been accurate.
For those preparing to tear my shirt if this administration fails, I assure you that, the opportunity will not arise because, the 2025 budget has signaled the beginning of a shift from ‘PowerPoint’ administration to Okpebholo’s measurable-people-oriented programs.
As it was in 2007, when Comrade Oshiomhole Campaign Organization appointed me as Director of Media and Publicity, sceptical friends and admires alike, waited as well to rip off my trousers in the market place, but, the success of that regime has remained the accepted referendum on a true road map for social and physical development in Nigeria.
It is in this light that the ongoing discussions regarding the pronouncement of figures by Governor Okpebholo, calls for understanding of the plausibility that it may have been caused by oversight of the speech writer and not the inability of the governor to eloquently speak to the budget extract.
During the vigorous campaigns that led to the overwhelming victory of the All Progressives Congress in the state, I noticed the unambiguous repeated campaign promises that was hinged on a 5-Point Agenda of Agriculture/Food Security; Infrastructure Development; Quality Education; Accessible Healthcare and Job Creation.
Happily, the 2025 budget that has been presented by Governor Okpebholo has all it takes to kick-start the much anticipated socioeconomic revolution in Edo State.
For the first time, the allocation for capital projects stand at 63%, to 37% allocated for recurrent expenditure. This is an obvious departure from the funding of lifestyle of public office holders in the last administration.
The highlights of Governor Okpebholo’s 2025 proposed budget gives an approximate of N605 billion. This represents a 25% increase from the 2024 budget operated by former Governor Godwin Obaseki.
Okpebholo has reserved 37% of this sum, amounting to N223 billion, to Recurrent Expenditure, while the remaining N381 billion or 63%, is expected to go into capital projects enunciated in the 5-Point Agenda of the present APC administration.
What should be paramount now is the appraisal of the budget proposal by stakeholders, especially the sectoral allocations, not ephemerals of correctness of figures or romanticization of speech delivery.
According to the Governor, he has a plan to make a huge difference in Road Infrastructure and therefore appropriated N162 billion for this purpose across the state.
Judging from what Edo people witnessed under the Peoples Democratic Party administration of Mr. Godwin Obaseki, Edo people should be more concerned about specifics in this all important sector and not be distracted by soap operas that is being acted by ill informed persons.
Governor Okpebholo has based this huge allocation on the importance of connecting communities with motorable roads for rapid economic growth. He went ahead to explain in his speech that, driving from one senatorial district to another, and from one community to another has become very difficult in the recent past.
He also promised to correct the present situation and improve upon the roads that make Edo State the gateway to other parts of the country.
On urban renewal, Okpebholo promised to use the 2025 to start the transformation of Benin City from being an “ancient city” to a modern city and which he said, informed his decision to flag-off the construction of the first ever fly-over across Ramat Park.
This plan is very progressive in design and needs the support of Edolites, irrespective of political divide.
On education, which has hitherto, placed Edo State on competitive advantage, Governor Okpebholo has identified the present flaws and promised to keep his campaign promise to improve the deplorable condition of the physical infrastructure of schools from primary, secondary to tertiary institutions.
He also singled out Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma for the needed revamping with a proposed N500 million monthly subvention. To achieve this, the sum of N48bn was provided in the 2025 budget to accomplish this laudable plans in education sector.
In the area of Security and Community Development, Okpebholo expressed his desire to bring about peace and harmony in all parts of the state and explained that, the ban on the local security outfit, Edo State Security Network (ESSM) has been lifted. He informed the Assembly that he has provided 20 vehicles fitted with communication gadgets to enhance the security operation.
On healthcare, the sum of N63.9 billion has been voted, while promising to make healthcare accessible and affordable, especially with his deliberate attention to the Health Insurance Scheme which has become lifesaving policy in the state. The scheme has N1.8 billion allocation.
For Agriculture and Food Security, the present administration understands the multifaceted role the sector has to provide employment, enhance security and contribute to the socio-economic growth of the state and has therefore made deliberate honest attempt to strengthen it through mechanization and with a budget size of N4.5 billion.
With these plans, the present APC government in Edo State will achieve the back to farm initiative designed to ensure food sufficiency and improved social harmony in the state, especially in the semi-rural and rural areas.
Governor Buni Signs 2025 Finance, Appropriation Bills Into Law
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