Investigation ongoing over 17-year-old’s purchase of 14,000 hectares of land – Gov Okpebholo
The Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, said he suspended the signing of Certificates of Occupancy to property owners because of the alleged possession of about 14,000 hectares of land by a 17-year-old.
DAILY POST reports that the Governor said this during an audience with members of the Shift Najia Initiative, a Non-governmental organisation in Benin City.
Okpebholo said the investigation is still ongoing to ascertain the source of livelihood of the possessor of the land to be able to acquire such a large expanse of land.
He added that the signing of the certificates would commence after the investigation, assuring that the C-of-Os have already been printed.
The governor, who decried the payment of N8 billion to consultants for software by the immediate past government of Governor Godwin Obaseki, added that his administration terminated the contract because it was wasteful of the state’s resources.
He said, the state has developed its own software and is being managed by government staff who are trained for it, as opposed to the consultants.
Okpebholo also decried the alleged encroachment on the Edo State Specialist Hospital land by the management of the Museum of West African Art, MOWAA, noting that by the encroachment, 20 per cent of the land is now left for the state government, while 80 per cent is for the MOWAA.
According to him, the Edo Specialist Hospital land has been encroached upon by the management of the Museum of West African Art, MOWAA, despite the demarcation.
“That land and the hospital belonged to the state government. MOWAA is a private establishment, and it can’t take 80 per cent of the land and leave 20 per cent for the hospital.
“In that hospital, we don’t have a mortuary facility. There is also no emergency ward. Whenever you come there you see patients and relatives sitting outside. We need to make it a real hospital for patients to have good medical attention”, he said.
Okpebholo reeled out his administration achievements in less than one year in office, including the renovation and rehabilitation of public schools, road infrastructures, both state and federal, agriculture, employment of teachers, and civil servants, among others.
He also disclosed that the construction of a second flyover bridge in the state at Adesuwa junction along Sapele road would soon begin after the payment of compensation to the affected property owners.
Earlier, Ikhenbor Felix Igbinevbo, the initiator of Shift Naija Initiative, said ”Shift Naija Initiative is far more than a typical advocacy group; it is a movement aimed at reigniting the spirit of patriotism, enhancing public communication, and realigning our collective focus on governance and development.
“Recognising the crucial role of leadership in this process, the Shift Naija Initiative has positioned itself as a key player in forging a lasting alliance between the media and the government.
“The core objectives of this initiative include transforming national attitude from mere criticism to constructive contributions, from despair to unwavering determination, and from division to collective progress”, he stated.
He, however, called on all patriotic citizens, particularly the youths and community leaders, to unite in the civic responsibility of documenting progress, demanding accountability, and celebrating real results.
In his remarks, the chairman of the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Festus Alenkhe, commended Governor Monday Okpebholo for all his developmental strides.
Alenkhe, assured the governor of adequate publicity of his administration’s activities by the members of the union.
He also commended the initiator of the Shift Naija Initiative, Comrade Felix Igbinevbo for deeming it wise to partner with the union.