The strong-willed governor hosted a crew from the Vanguard newspapers in Benin City, Edo State, last Thursday, and as usual, was in his elements. The Editor, Mr. Eze Anaba, led the team of Mr. Onochie Anibeze, Saturday Editor, Mr. Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South, and Mr. Alemma Ozioruva-Aliu, Correspondent, to Obaseki’s domain.
“They always spend more than they earn but under Buhari, it accelerated, particularly after COVID. COVID meant that you had to put money in the system, everybody in the world did it and everybody is suffering that now. We are where we are now, we are 36 states, and we cannot do much about it, I am not sure Delta wants to join us again to be Bendel. No, we are 36 states. How do we now organize ourselves among the 36 states? The first thing is to devolve power to everybody. Let us now have a strong centre in a different way; let those who are strong enough be on their own, but we all must now contribute to the centre and not the centre taking it, and then saying, you, take this or that.
You attend National Executive Council, NEC, meetings with your colleagues, you are vocal and even recently, you spoke out. What is the NEC meeting like; this printing of money, did the council not castigate it? When Mr. President assumed office, he removed fuel subsidies and then, the floating of the naira, we have more cash now, so, how has the country felt since then starting with Edo?
Another thing that has led to growth here is that we flew over Edo, and did our Geographical Information Service, GIS. If you apply for a Certificate of Occupancy, C of O today, it will only cost you N50, 000 and you will get it in less than 60 days. I have issued 10 times more C of Os in two years than the C of Os issued since the creation of Edo State. What is the implication of that, it means that everybody has some collateral and can source for money, so there is better capital formation.
However, I have to control my resources and determine how to train my children, but I know I am too small and need somebody to give me cover, then, I say okay, 40 per cent of whatever I earn in Edo, I take part to the centre. If everybody does that in Nigeria, the centre will now be strong but more accountable to us, who are contributing. Today, we have a centre that is not accountable.