Obaseki’s housing reform: Edo diaspora community snap up property slots in Emotan Gardens estate at ENAW Convention

Buoyed by the positive outlook of the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration, especially on the expansive 1800-unit Emotan Gardens project, Edo people in the diaspora have thrown their weight behind the project, with many acquiring slots in the real estate project, at the 27th edition of the Edo National Association Worldwide (ENAW) convention, which held in Toronto, Canada.

Emotan Gardens, an ambitious real estate project, will transform the state’s real estate sector and provide affordable housing units to residents and those in the Diaspora. The project is being developed by the state government through the Edo Development and Property Agency (EDPA) in partnership with MIXTA Africa, a renowned real estate and property development company.

Speaking on the sidelines of the event in Canada, Executive Chairman, EDPA, Isoken Omo, who declared that the houses were open for sale, noted that members of the diaspora community were enthusiastic about the project as it would be the first government-backed housing project in the last 16 years.

She said, “Captain Hosa Okunbo bought 10 units of 2-bedroom in a row valued at around N50-55 million and donated it to the members of the diaspora community. We did a raffle where 10 people won the houses. Seven women and two men won one unit each. The last one will be used as ENAW liaison office in Benin City.”

The diaspora community expressed confidence in the governor and his government. They are looking for more ways to identify with him. The turnout at the event was very good.”

Other legacy projects of governor Obaseki showcased at the convention include the revolutionary Edo Basic Education Transformation (Edo-BEST) programme among other growth and investment enablers.

The Edo-BEST programme will groom a dedicated, highly-skilled teaching workforce by training, supporting and motivating Edo State teachers to succeed and enhance the Edo State Basic Education curriculum.

Governor Obaseki recently gave approval for the full roll-out of the programme in three oil and gas producing local government areas, comprising Ovia North East, Orhionmwon and Ikpoba-Okha.

In the programme, “every teacher will receive tablet loaded with digital lesson plans for every lesson needed for each day. Head teachers are given smartphones and provided with monthly data to enable them use the software in the smartphone to register all children and take attendance and manage teacher performance in each classroom every day,” the governor said.