Palliatives: The FG must welcome constructive criticism – Edo Govt

The EDO State Government has voiced its displeasure with a recent statement attributed to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Muhammed Idris, on Governor Godwin Obaseki’s comments about the Federal Government’s handling of the consequences of the removal of gasoline subsidies.

“It is unfortunate and sad that the Federal Government now wants to gag citizens and even a popularly elected governor from speaking truth to power and expressing himself in light of the perilous times we have fallen into,” said the government’s Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare.

“The minister’s actions are reminiscent of what happened in 2021, when Governor Obaseki raised the alarm about the Federal Government’s irregular and illegal printing of money through the Central Bank of Nigeria.”

“The claim that Governor Godwin Obaseki did not attend National Economic Council, NEC, meetings is categorically false.” The governor has attended all NEC meetings from the start of this administration, and documents show it.

“Records of the performance of the Edo State government are also available for Nigerians to verify.” Our education reforms, particularly the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation, EdoBEST, programme, have been lauded abroad.

“The Edo State Oil Palm Programme, ESOPP, is currently one of Africa’s largest agricultural programmes.” Our fundamental changes in civil and public service, as well as the government’s e-government and capacity-building programmes, as well as the construction of a legitimate and effective social register, to name a few, are examples of areas where the state has excelled.

“The condition of the extensive federal roads running through the state, which the federal government has abandoned and even prevented us from intervening to repair, claiming contracts for their repairs have been awarded, should be the area where the minister may be referring to as non-performance.”

“Isn’t it unfortunate that the minister has taken this unsavory path in his first outing, when he should be reconciliatory and seek to synergize ideas and opinions on how best to carry the country along in these difficult and trying times that we have found ourselves?”