By Erasmus Ikhide
 Published
June 24th, 2009
The Edo State
governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is poised at fulfilling
those electoral campaign promises to the good people of the
state that: ‘‘should he be elected to govern, the terrible
lanes of misery and the source of social discomfort and the
symbols of bad leadership shall be a thing of the past’’.
This promise; coming from an all times supporter and
defender of the downtrodden and a trusted Comrade settled
his choice in the minds of the electorate for a change in
governance they had long awaited; one that they can zero in
on its deliverability.
Government is worthy only of the name for that purpose:
fulfillments of her obligatory responsibilities to the
governed as part of her social contract to galvanize the
peoples’ aspiration in the face of despairs. To actualize
this, all hands must be on deck to support the policy of
government as a matter of course in order to realize the
intended development we crave. So far, the cooperation of
the people is the greatest asset Oshiomhole-led
administration has enjoyed – even in the midst of economic
down turn – as they wait patiently for this government to
deliver.
For Oshiomhole, failure is not an option. His promise to
deliver the maximum service to the people all through the
electioneering is gradually being realizable in the state
after thorough, thoughtful and holistic examinations of the
State infrastructural needs of the people. That has yielded
results. With the aggressive rehabilitation of roads and
drainage desilting going on in the State Capital the people
are rest assured that Oshiomhole’s administration will not
follow the tracks of his predecessors who had ritualized the
habit of saying one thing and doing another – if at all they
ever did anything – just to retain their unearned hold on
political offices.
The roads rehabilitation efforts of the government in the
raining season is to avoid the recurrent episode of flooding
that have severally washed away the peoples’ residence in
time past along with vulnerable children who could not
wriggled themselves out of their flooded homes. It would
never be said that flood washed ashore peoples’ houses and
its inhabitants in Benin metropolis and elsewhere while the
Comrade was Governor. Neither would it be said in the end
that in his time the resources of the state meant for its
growth grew wings and flew into foreign bank accounts
without trace.
It is an open secret that not much can be achieved on roads
construction due essentially to this period of rainy season.
We found ourselves in this avoidable situation because we
have a House of Assembly that was Hell bent on doing the
‘‘right thing’’, asserting her legislative authority for
detailed budgeting examination. The fact remains that in
infect this incident of budget delay will be helpful in the
future, irrespective of any political party in control of
the state to also insist on doing the ‘‘right thing’’. This
not withstanding, the Ministry of Works has successfully
executed the rehabilitation of 14 selected roads in so short
a time at a minimum cost by the ministry’s direct labour.
Today, we are celebrating the coming of an era, where the
totality of the people who gave their total support to the
current administration are heaving a sigh of relief in the
quiet recesses of their homes or office and savor the worth
of government they elected to office. A total of 14 selected
roads rehabilitated within Benin metropolis, and desilting
of drainage and manholes around the City for the enhancement
of easy flow of storm water is a enough indication that
Benin will wear a new look very shortly.
This is to raise the fruitfulness of the good governance
concept that is the hallmark of Oshiomhole’s campaign slogan
– transparency, integrity, accountability and even free
choice. This administration certainly would widen the scope
of public interest, laid democratic example in the
administrative style of a nation in dire need progressive
leaders. The whole process now touches upon the
effectiveness and efficiency of good governance, which has
eluded the people who have been striving for its
manifestation. We will continue to satisfy general interest
of the larger public other than the individual needs and
wants of a few.
There is no question that attempts were not made before by
the previous administrations who have ruled on behalf of
themselves and their cronies and their family members and
their unborn generation without recourse to mending the
roads and desilting the drainage on a durable term. Several
make-believe attempts were made to deceive the people that
work was going on. But once contractors backs are turned the
roads are wash off by erosion the next season! And once
their homes are effectively secured from erosion ravage,
they look the other way, a gesture that suggests that
erosion victims can go and a jump in the high sea!
No doubt, this government is bred apart. Oshiomhole’s coming
did not only epitomize the value that underpins an open
opportunity society as a pre-condition for growing
democratic tenets and developing the economy, but has also
widens the people aspiration in a nation whose sing song of
rule of law and electoral promise are observed in its
breach.
Erasmus Ikhide is the Senior
Special Assistant on Media Affairs
to Edo State Governor, Comrade
Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole.
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