(PRESS STATEMENT)
Edo State Council of the Nigeria union of Journalists (NUJ) has honoured the immediate past Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba, with an Excellence Award for his achievements in government and contributions to national development while he served for three and a half years in the cabinet of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Agba, who was once a commissioner for seven and a half years in the administration of former Governor Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole in Edo State, was hosted to a well-attended grand reception and award dinner held on Monday at the NUJ Press Centre in Benin.
The immediate past Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare, the immediate past Minister of State for Power, Prince Goddy Jeddy Agba, revered High Priest Osemwengie Ebohon and former National President of Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), High Chief Shehu Musa Isiwele, who chaired the occasion, were among the attendees.
The Chief Host and Chairman of the Edo Council of the NUJ, Comrade Festus Alenkhe, said that the Union decided to honour Prince Agba for living above board during his time as minister.
Alenkhe said the Union was proud of Prince Agba’s achievements, declaring that “What we are doing today is non-partisan. It is based on the selfless activities, based on all that we have seen that the immediate past minister of state for budget and national planning did at the federal level and at the state level (as a past commissioner in Edo). We resolved that we have to tell him: well done.”
While the Chairman of the occasion, High Chief Isiwele commended Prince Agba for his exemplary stewardship as minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, High Priest Ebohon, who said he would soon get used to pronouncing the immediate past minister’s surname “when he becomes governor of my state”, declared that his (Agba’s) achievements, “not only in Edo State, but also in pockets of areas across the country as a minister of State in the Ministry of Budget and National Planning have become stupendous achievements on his part and so, it is going to be a door-opener for him anywhere he goes.”
Apparently speaking in support of High Chief Ebohon’s declaration about Agba’s becoming his state governor soon (even though Agba has yet to formally declare interest in contesting the 2024 governorship election), the immediate past minister of Youth and Sports Development Sunday Dare said “I promise that I would go with him to every nook and cranny of this state to make sure we get the support that is needed to help this patriotic Nigerian, a bona fide son of Edo State, a prince for that matter who had served at the highest level in this country to come back and lead this state to greater heights.”
In response shortly after he was presented with the Award of Excellence by the NUJ Edo Council chair, Alenkhe for distinguishing himself as minister, Prince Agba said there was need for the rebuilding of Edo state regardless of the senatorial zone that produced the governor in 2024.
Agba underscored the need by Edo people to believe in Edo Agenda over and above Benin, Esan and Afenmai agendas as the only way to revive and save the state from infrastructure decay.
He said: “I am indeed very grateful to the NUJ in Edo state for this recognition of the work that I have done as Commissioner in Edo State and also as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
According to him: “This recognition and award to me is very, very important because you are an apolitical organization; you are neither APC nor are you PDP or Labour Party. So, whatever comes from you implies that you had done your own due diligence before giving me this award.
“What this award has done to me; and, I hope what it would do to me is to encourage me to do better in whatever capacity that I find myself whether in the private sector or in the public sector.
“This award would not have come about if a friend and a brother and my boss did not call me in the first instance to work for him; and I am talking about the two-time governor of Edo State, the former national chairman of the ruling party in Nigeria, APC, and a senator representing Edo North Senatorial Disrtict, His Excellency, Comrade Adams Aliyu Eric Oshiomhole who gave me the opportunity to serve in his government as commissioner.
“He also gave me the opportunity in November 2016 to receive the immediate past president to showcase some of the work that we had done in the state and I recall him telling me a day after (the inauguration of projects) that Mr President asked about me and wanted to have more details about me.”
He added: “It did not stop there. In 2019, he (Oshiomhole) recommended me to His Excellency, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for ministerial appointment; and thereafter, I was named the minister of state for budget and national planning.”
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