Benin Youths salutes Oshiomhole’s Beatification projects and call for the nomination of a youthful and resourceful candidate for Edo South NDDC slot.
Rising from an emergency meeting over the missed feelings expressed by the different Edo opinion groups and persons over the ongoing demolition of illegal structures by the taskforce and the beatification projects going on around the Benin City-centre; it has become desirable to commend the Governor for his well-thought out vision to transform Edo State from the near-culture of filthy environments to one that behold glamour. However, we call on the Governor to strictly censor future appointees into such sensitive committees to avoid the array of unpleasant fall-outs which portrays the committee members in bad light. It is a fact that people are bound to conduct themselves in an overzealous manner; organs of government must be proactive enough to check those excesses like the allegation of assaults, obtaining monies under false pretence and other sundry allegations. It does not wish away the essence of the beatification which is determined to make Edo State a suitable tourist- destination.
To achieve maximum success, the Governor should seek ways and means to order the relocation of the Oredo Council Secretariat from the Kings Square as it will continue to be a clog in the wheel of conscious efforts to make the City-centre a traffic-free-zone. The Council Secretariat encompasses so much Local Government and market activities which have been grossly responsible for the compounded traffic crisis in the area. On less the secretariat is courageously relocated by this administration, its efforts to revolutionise and beautify the area will continue to be a mirage. The Local Government Area is very large as it boasts of hundreds of under-developed settlements and villages which could be steadily transformed by the time the Council has been relocated. We salute the Ministry for Environment as it has passed the acid-test of determination to achieve stated goals of the Oshiomhole's administration. We call on other ministries to emulate same by pursuing populist programs and engaging viable social and civil society groups in their planning.
On the NNDC slot, we appeal to the Governor and Senator Ehigie Uzamere to embrace mutual accord in the appointment of a fit and proper person for the seat which has been contentious for some time now, especially after the Senate refusal to clear Hon. Ise-Idehen. Our position on this struggle has not change, as a pan Bini group, we and elders of Benin Kingdom will resist the appointment of persons whom are alien to the yearnings and aspirations of Edo South people; but we will support anyone whom have been involved in our collective effort as a people to correct the years of deprivation, marginalization and general disservice through negative federal politics by some non-Binis and their Bini apologists since 1970. While we want a vibrant person for the position is to help harness the enormous resources of Edo South senatorial district in line with the resolve of the State Governor and not one that will come on board to promote political godfatherism and divert scarce resources to the whims and caprices of political jobbers. Anything shot of these credentials will be a great disservice to the Edo South people who have lost most of her oil wells to Ondo and Delta States for over fourteen years without meaningful plans to see to their recovery. As critical as the post of an NDDC commissioner is to development of host communities of oil exploration activities, we wish it would be democratise to allow for voting by those who bear the brunt of the exploitation; this will therefore check the emergence of political opportunists most of whom emerge from the blues and make little or no impacts in the lives of the host communities peoples and areas.
Mr. John Aghasagbon- Coordinator General- Benin Youth Council.