The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said plans are ongoing to supply 24-hour electricity to the secretariat of the state’s chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the Edo Broadcasting Service (EBS) from the government’s Public Private Partnership (PPP) power initiative, Ossiomo Power.
Obaseki disclosed this when he received members of the Edo NUJ, led by its new chairman, Mr. Festus Alenkhe, who were on a courtesy visit at the Government House, Benin City.
The governor, who commended the role of the media in the development of the society, said his government will continue to support journalists in the state to effectively deliver on their roles.
He noted, “The Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) is not here to help us. They are not interested; they are interested in their own profits. That led us to this arrangement of the Ossiomo power plant, which is working and we are enjoying it here in Government House.
“I don’t see why we cannot connect you to that 24-hour power supply. We are fortunately in the next round of electrification of EBS.
“You know we’ve done the first 80km, we are going to be doing another 60km. We will be extending the line towards Ikpoba Hill to Auchi Road and will be able to connect you. We had purchased some terrestrial equipment that was destroyed as a result of a storm thunder strike last year.”
Obaseki continued: “I agree with you that we must begin to say more now especially as we head towards 2023 general elections. We are going to be reinstituting the quarterly media briefing. Next to my office, I am building an ultra-modern studio. I am equipping it with very high-end digital cameras so that we will have a venue. It’s going to commence from next quarter.
“We are going to have every agency of government to have a plan, have its own key performance indicators, and their score cards. They must be able to tell us what they are expected to deliver every year on a quarterly basis and everybody must be free to interrogate the performance of every agency.”
“That means you have to also do an evaluation of every person working in government. In terms of the health insurance scheme, I really want to indulge you to key into it, I really don’t see why they can’t provide you free medical services, please explore that,” he charged.
Earlier in his address, Alenkhe reassured the governor of the collaboration of journalists in the state in ensuring the realization of the Making Edo Great Again (MEGA) Agenda.
