By Osahon Osahon
Edo State governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, says he had to break from the old governance system where state resources are misused on frivolities to sustain payment of salaries to civil servants and pensioners in spite of the COVID-19 outbreak in the state.
He said amid the pandemic and meager resources accruing to the state, his administration has been carrying out critical infrastructure to balance the developmental needs of the state.
Obaseki gave the explanation on Sunday night in Benin, after receiving an award of Most lnnovative Governor in 2019 by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Edo State Council.
He said his administration decided not to maintain the status quo of governance in the state, which he said enabled him to cope with the pressure of Covid-19.
“I refused to follow the status quo, we also curbed waste. If we had not changed the way people see governance or put some measures in place, I don’t know how we would have coped amid Covid-19.
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“Governance today is difficult because of people’s demand, but despite that, we remain focused on our priority.
“Change is difficult, but we have to do it because maintain the status quo has not taken us anywhere, hence I have to change it.”
The governor, changing the status quo is the reason while he has faced problem in the state in the last one and half years.
According to him, “It was as a result of change he made that he was still able to pay salary to workers pensioners and continue to execute project across the state.”
Speaking on the September 19 governorship election in the state, Obaseki said the political crisis in the state and the attack on his convoy during the campaign flag-off was meant to intimidate and create fear in the mind of the people not to come out to vote.
He,however, assured that government will do everything possible to protect the people and ensure a free and fair election.
