Obaseki’s grassroot devt drive: Edo MDAs, Uhunmwode Ward Devt C’ttees meet, brainstorm on priorities

Consequent upon the inauguration of ward development committees in Uhunmwode Local Government Area by the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, relevant government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) are meeting with the committees to brainstorm and agree on development projects for the council.

The committees, set up few weeks ago by the governor, is a non-partisan platform that aggregates interest of the various wards in the local government and prioritises sustainable projects and initiative for rapid development in collaboration with government agencies. A brainchild of Governor Obaseki, the committees’ work is being spearheaded by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters, Chief Osaro Idah.

Each ward development committee includes two women, two youth, a traditional ruler, one retired or serving teacher and nurse, one member of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC), a member of an opposition party and a religious leader.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Basic Education and Acting Chairman, Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Joan Osa Oviawe, said that a team comprising officials and representatives of key MDAs, including Ministry of Infrastructure, SUBEB, Edojobs, Post-Primary Education Board, among others, would continue engagement with the ward committees and a meeting has already been scheduled to reach a consensus on priority projects.

According to her, “After Governor Obaseki inaugurated the committees, we have been in touch and are working to align the development imperatives to meet pressing demands. So, we will be meeting with the committees in Uhunmwode on Tuesday and Wednesday and that of Orhionmwon by Thursday and Friday.

Chief Osaro Idah said, “It is important to emphasis that the committees are non-political in nature. We are going to be holding extensive discussions with them, surveying the environment and developing a shopping list and costing for projects.”

Noting that the delegation will be working within existing development plans for the communities, he noted, “We intend to align the development needs of the wards with theMDAs‘ strategic plans and also prioritise them according to the most pressing of needs. The initiatives are going to be rolled out in August.”

Chief Idah added that the state government was committed to grassroots development, which inspired the setting up of the committees. Noting that the strategy will about coordinated and people-driven development in the grassroots, he urged members of the different wards to work with the committees and the state government in actualizing the different projects to be initiated.