BENIN CITY – Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has assured the people of his administration’s determination to make Edo the cleanest state in Nigeria.

Obaseki made this known while delivering his keynote address in a 2-day workshop on environment themed: ‘Enhancing Environmental Governance for sustainable Development.’

Stakeholders in the field of environment and participants from other relevant sectors attended the workshop, which was organized in Benin City by the state government.

The chairman of the worshop, HE Mr. Donald Duke and Governor Godwin Obaseki exchanging pleasantries

The governor maintained that the aim of the workshop was to bring experts together to brainstorm on how to sustain and manage the environment prudently to increase living standards of the people in the state

Meanwhile, former governor of Cross River state, Donald Duke, who saw the workshop as being timely, mentioned that if the environment was clean, investors would be attracted to the state and there would be access to portable water and job opportunities among others.

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He also noted that efforts to make Edo State a reference point for environmental sustainability might be unachievable without support and partnership from private organisations and individual input.

A cross section of discussants at the workshop on environment

The former governor, who chaired the workshop, said the government’s policies on environment would be inefficient if the people were not properly carried along.

He said, “Government may come up with all sorts of policies, but if the people you gather do not take ownership of the policies, the system would not work. The people must appreciate what you are doing, believing that it is good for them. It should not only be the government’s programme, but also theirs”.

He also thanked the governor for the laudable initiative, adding that there was need to sensitise the people and educate them on the state government’s strategic plan to sustain and manage the environment.