Edo @ 33: Obaseki Launches Ambitious 30-Year Master Plan for Transforming New Edo Nation

As he launched the 30-year Edo State Regional Development and the Benin City Master Plans on Tuesday as part of activities to celebrate the state’s 33rd anniversary, Governor Godwin Obaseki was confident that the state was set for the future and set to restore the new Edo nation.

An excited Governor Obaseki asserted that by the time he would be leaving office on November 12, 2024, his successor would have “inherited what we never had the privilege to inherit – a master plan that will guide them into the future”.

He said the need to plan for the state became expedient because after building the first flyover across the state in 2017, “We saw a disordered mode of development, particularly in Benin City”.

Launching the 30-year master plans, (2023 – 2053) with the theme, “The Glory of the New Edo Nation”, Governor Obaseki posited that they would become legal documents that would be binding on both indigenes and residents of the state by virtue of Part II Section A, Sub-section 5 (a-t) of the “Edo State Physical Planning Urban and Regional Development Law 2022”, adding that they will be infused into the primary and secondary school curriculums of the state education system.

Disclosing that the development plans were done by the state government in partnership with Siraj Nigeria Limited under the supervision of the Ministry of Physical Planning, Urban and Regional Development, the governor noted that they were part of the objectives of the Make Edo Great Again (MEGA) agenda of his administration.

According to him, part of proposals of the master plans were additional and alternative sources of electricity such as solar energy and hydro power plant, to cater for the power needs of the state; a new airport at Auchi; rail lines, new cities like the Coral City to be built in Benin-City and in other senatorial districts, such as Edo North (Auchi) and Edo Central (Ekpoma).

Addressing the invitees, Governor Obaseki said: “I welcome all of you today, as we launch Edo State Regional Development and the Benin City Master Plans. These are two critical documents that would help us tidy up our administration and summarise what we have been trying to do in the last eight years. It will also guide and establish a trajectory for where our state is heading in the next 30 years.

“These plans have been carefully put together and we have consulted widely across the state to ensure participation of our citizens. Our people have been involved in this process and will continue to be involved because it’s a living document, and not static.

“They are subject to review every five years and there will be six reviews in the life span of these documents. Today, we are glad that we have been able to make a significant departure from what we met.

“When we did our first flyover across the state in 2017, it became clear to us that beyond issuing titled documents, we needed to plan for the state following what we saw. We saw a disordered mode of development, particularly in Benin City.

“We were also concerned about the growing trend where almost 50 per cent of the population was migrating to Benin City and the lopsided development needed to be addressed and dealt with.”

Governor Obaseki, however, noted that it would be difficult to stop the migration into Benin City if the government failed to provide good amenities and improve the lives of the people in the rural communities.

According to him, “The document that is being launched today took a lot of issues into consideration. We didn’t wait till today to start implementing the plan as we have already started this process. We have made huge progress in the last eight years.

“We have built a medical hub, technology hubs, among others, which are all plans for the future. We have started the plan and done short-term quick wins. We are developing the state.”

Noting that lack of planning was one of the problems hindering Nigeria’s development, Obaseki stated, “As a people, we have always planned and taken our future and destiny in our hands in Edo.

“We would not be different today as we would continue to plan for our future. Thanks to all those that have worked over the last two years, putting the plan together and today we are launching it. I believe we are set for the future and set to restore the new Edo nation.

“By the grace of God when we leave office on November 12, the administration that will take over from us will have inherited what we never had the privilege to inherit, a master plan that will guide them into the future.”

Earlier in her welcome address, the Commissioner for Physical Planning, Urban and Regional Development, Isoken Omo, said before the ministry came up with the 30 years development plans, it visited 70,000 households as well as stakeholders in the 18 local government areas of the state.

Also speaking, a representative of Siraj, thanked Governor Obaseki for creating a working document for Benin-City and the entire state.

Highlight of the event was the formal launch of the two documents which was witnessed by Governor Obaseki ‘s wife, Dr. Betsy Obaseki: two former governors of the state, Lucky Igbinedion and Prof. Osariemen Osunbor. Also present were two former deputy governors of the state, namely Rev. Peter Obadan and Chief Mike Oghiadomhe; the state chairman of the ruling People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) Dr. Anthony Aziegbemi; the PDP candidate in the September 21 gubernatorial polls, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, his wife, Ifeyinwa and his running mate, Osarodion Ogie, among others.