By Ogochukwu Isioma in Benin City
The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has congratulated the newly inaugurated Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA) members, calling for a smooth executive-legislative collaboration to sustain the gains recorded by the administration across all sectors of the State in the past six years.
Obaseki, who received the legislators at the Government House, in Benin City, congratulated Rt. Hon. Blessing Agbebaku and Maria Omozele Edeko (Esq.), on their emergence as Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House respectively.
The governor said, “As we progress in our democracy, it becomes more obvious that the call for economic growth and development is hinged on the rule of law and a well-functioning legislative arm of government. Businesses are functioning well today; there is law, order, safety, stability, and security because we have a very functioning and effective legislature in the State. We have people putting our laws to regulate how we behave and transact businesses in the State.
“I am glad that you are coming now to help me in the journey we started six and half years ago, the journey of reforms. I thank members of the seventh Assembly as it was a historic and watershed Assembly in the political annals of Nigeria.”
He added, “Legislatively, the world would see the work put in by these members of the seventh Assembly in transforming our laws and helping the Executive with the appropriate and timely legislation to do their work, and it’s historic. What the seventh Assembly did, the eighth Assembly must do much better.”
Charging the legislators on effective legislation to engender sustainable development, the governor continued: “We are particular about the work environment as you have inherited a brand new House of Assembly and it will make you efficient. We would like to work with you, your infrastructure, work environment and tools, and also let you know the sort of reforms taken as executives to improve service delivery.
“We would like to bring you closer to make you understand the impact of your oversight function and work together to impact and change the lives of the Edo people.
“As a government, we have reviewed our finishing projects and will carry you all along to help the administration finish well. We are building a solid digital backbone for Edo people as this is a project that the future of Edo State would rest on.”
Obaseki further added, “We are connecting fibres across every local government area to ensure connectivity and promote digital services as I would be the last governor to work on files manually. All the local government offices are linked as the project is going to link all our schools. Our students don’t need to buy books because, with their digital devices, they can assess their books.
“All our primary health care centers are linked to enable us to improve our patients’ record, increase telemedicine service, job and training center as we would deliver services to our people at their place of residence. It will be useful for our citizens.”
On his part, the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Blessing Abebaku thanked the governor for the administration’s developmental strides across all sectors of the State, assuring the support and collaboration of the new legislators.
“This 8th Assembly is ready to work with you to form a very concrete and solid synergy with the executive arm of government to ensure that you finish well all you started in the State. We are here to move Edo State forward and make you finish well.”
