BENIN CITY- Edo State Deputy Governor Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu has urged youths to hold their destinies in their own hands, assuring of government’s readiness to actualize the 2020 continuity project to prevent the attempt to slide the state into reverse gear of governance.

Comrade Shaibu took this stand when he played host, separately elected councillors from Etsako Central Local Government and leaders from the eighteen legislative councils of the State. The councillors said they were in Government House on behalf of their wards to pledge their loyalty and support to governance of continuity led by Mr Godwin Obaseki.

Shaibu told his visitors that the vision to take Edo State to greater heights was activated through the vision of immediate past Governor of the state, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole in 2008 when he built infrastructure in schools in what was known as the red roof revolution in the education sector.

He revealed that the policy had already been taken to higher heights in the education and other sectors of the state’s economy where giant strides are being made with the attraction of investments due to the prevailing peace and security in the state.

Observing that Nigeria has never lacked intellectuals who identity problems but the implementation, he said, has always been the bane of the country.

Shaibu stated that the Oshiomhole legacies built upon through the government of continuity was working in the state, adding that education has been taken to a higher level through the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (Edo- BEST) programme which allowes teachers to use computer tablets as teaching tools.

According to him, teachers received training and retraining which improves efficiency, leading to a much earlier reading process of primary one pupils in their first term of study.

This enacted policy, he said, has led to the “Best Performing Governor in Nigeria Award” to Mr. Godwin Obaseki by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT).

Praising the 6th Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA) for enacting laws which removed illegality and impunity, the Deputy Governor said the state was not ready to condone individuals who celebrated their billionaire status through the collection of revenue.

He observed, “Agberoism will not continue this time around. We need to clean up the system, create civility to attract business inline with our promise to Edo people.

“Youths should come to the reality that their destiny is in their hands. The future is already theirs through the redesign and rejigging of the system to work through policies built with enacted laws so as not to put the future of the state in the reverse gear.”

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Shaibu stated that the state had actualized it’s pledge of creating 200,000 jobs through the provision of a conducive enabling environment which allowes businesses to thrive.

He reiterated that government was keen at driving development in a conducive environment which eradicated the stress and harassment market women encountered during the double ticketing era.

Same he said applied to the phasing out of the Community Development Association (CDA) and the non payment of salaries at local government level which he vowed must not be allowed to resurface.

He frowned at the idea of people becoming rich through dubious means, saying “Government is ready for you to be a billionaire to the extent that you are willing to use entrepreneurial and other government openings to get this, not using taxpayers money through revenue collection.

“Pensioners no longer wear black but white because revenue is well utilized, they are paid as soon as they retire which has helped to prevent their early death.

“This message should be passed on to the grassroots that they can build without the fear of molestation, pay tax in markets without fear of flogging and molestation which is barbaric.”

He urged the legislators to support their chairmen to carry out development through legislative approvals.

Executive Chairman Etsako Central Local Government Area, Hon. John Osi Akhigbe said his council area was standing with the governor, his deputy and the All progressives Congress Party (APC) in leading the state to the next level.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Edo State Deputy Governor and one of the Leaders, Etsako Central Local Government Council Area, Comrade Ebomhiana Musa said a good product advertises itself, adding that people get the message based on what they see.

He said, “Edo is a moving train…Edo is working…Edo is work in progress and Edo people know it. Paraphrasing the popular saying of the late K.O Mbadiwe, he noted that when the time cames for voting, that is when people would know Edo people’s strength of purpose and doing the needful at the appropriate time.

Leader Etsako Central Local Government Council Legislative Arm, Hon. Anthony Iluobe said they were in Government House to attest to the visible stand of government and need for continuity.