Daily Independent (Lagos)
Sylvester Enoghase
17 November 2008
The people of Edo State, from this week, should expect plenty of fireworks in the democratic transformation of the state as, Governor Adams Aliu Oshiomhole has sworn to boost workers' moral in the next four years.
Oshiomhole, who was declared winner of the April 14, 2007 governorship election last week by the Court of Appeal in Benin, also promised to put an end to the suffering of workers in the state.
Oshiomhole, the first labour leader to become an elected Governor in Nigeria, after his swearing in, noted that the state government has plan to make urgent intervention to reduce unemployment.
"In this regard, government will announce a programme soon to employ more than 10,000 people in public works, environmental sanitation and associated activities across the state for the unemployed youths in Edo state. I have come to open up all the job opportunities which the people of Edo state have not enjoyed since the state was created.
"If there is anyone out there who still questions the power of our democracy to transform the life of the workers and the entire people of Edo State, our leadership is your answer," he added
According to the Governor, the state government will set up a committee to fashion out the most appropriate ways in which the unemployed youths would be gainfully employed.
"We are going to ensure that there is appropriate strategic policy in place to meet the budget needs to re-construct our state to return to its past glory.
We will instal a leadership and a people's government that will benefit the whole citizens of our dear state in respect of whether you are citizen or not. We must know that our problems in Edo state is how to develop the citizens of the state".
The Action Congress (AC) Governor declared that the era of godfatherism in Edo politics was over and that his government will not entertain political hawks featuring in policy formulations in governance for the people of Edo state.
He said "The era of political godfatherism is over in Edo state politics. I was elected as the Governor of the Edo people. As a worker, this government is the people's Government and so, no godfather can take over the governance from the people'.
"As the Governor of the state and the beneficiary of the sacrifices that the workers and the entire Edo people have made, the state government, fully conscious of the urgent need to reconstruct our state, restore her to its past glory and regain her enviable status as the reference state of our country will not, in any way disappoint the people of the state, the nation and the world at large", he added
Oshiomhole, who acknowledged that the educational system in Edo state was in decay promised to restore its lost hope.
He said "At the forefront of the challenges are the need to re-build our educational system, revamp infrastructure and create employment through the stimulation of production in both agriculture and industry.
He further said "The state of the public school system today is an embarrassment. We will urgently embark on the restoration of a qualitative public school system.
We will ensure that the child, who is presently dumped in a virtual cell in a dungeon-type classroom that houses two classes, with teachers alternating turns, is liberated and placed in a conducive environment for learning and creative development."
He however, remarked that the state's higher institutions of learning at the apex of which is the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, will be empowered to create quality environment for students and staff with a view to the attainment of excellence, which is the surest way to development in the knowledge-driven world of today
The Governor, who promised to install a leadership and administration that will guarantee decent work to every citizen of Edo state, said "The Edo State government guarantees decent work that will provide basic needs of human existence under a healthy, enduring and secure environment where all individuals in collective aspirations can flourish and be actualized."
On the health sector, Oshiomhole noted that the rot in hospitals and the general decay in health care delivery over the past two decades have resulted in the untimely death of several people.
"This is unacceptable. No one should die of curable diseases on account of economic status. We will revamp and restore our health institutions," he said
President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Abdulwaheed Omar, said "the NLC believes that an independent, activist and proactive judiciary remains the country's only hope for justice in the light of the massive rigging of the 2007 general elections and so those who believe that they won the elections should have no cause to be afraid of election tribunals."
Omar who argued that the constitutional weight and latitude of the rule of law does not permit any person or institution to pick and chose which rulings of the court to obey or agree said "overbearing executive pressure or intimidation does not foster the rule of law, but it weakens and ultimately destroys it, with serious consequences for the polity, as we had seen in the last dispensation."
"The NLC has in the past commended President Yar 'Adua for his willingness to abide by judicial decisions, which has helped to cool the polity and restore the rule of law and due process. We encourage the President to continue to demonstrate the high level of respect for constitutionalism, which had been the practice before," Omar stressed.
"I hereby congratulate Oshiomhole on his victory at the court of Appeal, declaring him elected Governor of Edo State. The Judiciary, has once again proven that it remains the hope of the common man and bastion of our democracy."
Esele maintained that the time has come for labour, through Oshiomhole, to avoid letting the ideologists of bad leadership define the framework of governance in Edo State.
"The Oshiomhole leadership, I know will ensure that the people of Edo State are represented at the negotiating table, not only to set out the new strategic framework for the democratic transformation, but also to ensure an adequate revision of bad governance and social programmes and to tackle the issue of inequalities in our state".
According to Esele, the time has come to set out the democratic demands of the people of Edo State very clearly as Oshiomhole is fully prepared to ensure that every possible resources will be deployed to bring the dividends of democracy to the workers and the entire people of Edo State.
Asked how Oshiomhole will be successful, Esele said a rescue plan will be developed for the economic transformation of Edo State.
He said this will be complemented by an adequate regulatory framework that provides for increased purchasing power as economic activity grows in line with the realities of the 21st Century.
He reiterated that the Oshiomhole administration will adopt policies that will contribute to accelerating the investments needed to re-build the Edo economy that would help to counter the fallout of bad leadership through the direct creation of jobs.
Mrs. Peace Obiajelu, immediate past President General, TUC and President General Senior Staff Association of Communications, Transport and Corporation (SSACTAC), while calling on the people of Edo State to rally round Oshiomhole, noted that the time has come for workers to control democratic governance in Nigeria.
"The time has come for workers to control the democratic governance in Nigeria. Oshiomhole has set the pace for other workers to follow. We, therefore call on the good people of Edo State to give unalloyed support for him to succeed," she said.
Also, National President (ASSBIFI), Sanni Lasisi, declared that the victory of Oshiomhole epitomizes the consistent power of labour, toilers, and all oppressed strata, that were the driving force for the actualization of the mandate.
"The entire workers in the country's financial sector are indeed glad that since the electoral charade of 2007 that odiously imposed mandate rogues on most states of the federation, finally, justice is manifestly being done in Edo State without heaven falling," he noted.
"The snatching of the electoral mandate of the people of Edo State from the jaws of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the rightful owners, the Action Congress (AC), falls within the waves of deep-seated, socio-democratic changes that have been sweeping across the globe from Latin America, to East Africa, and the United States of America," he added.
"It is our hope that his tenure would be employed to ameliorate the cause of the working and toiling people of Edo State in particular and a clear illustration of what good and responsible governance can do for the growth and development of the country."
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