Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo has advocated for a healthy competition among State Governors as a panacea for the current developmental challenges facing the country.
Governor Okpebholo stated this at the weekend, when he visited his counterpart in Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma. During the meeting with the Chairman of Progressives Governors’ Forum, Uzodinma, Okpebholo stressed the need for Governors to pay working visits to other States to compare notes and see the progress being made. He said the aim is not only to replicate the same but to surpass them in their home States.
Governor Okpebholo stressed that such visits could ignite a healthy competition that would spiral massive development across the country to the benefit of the people.
According to Governor Okpebholo, “most times, sitting back in your comfort zone or State, you assume you are doing great. More so, when you are in a State where nothing tangible has been achieved in years. Little efforts and little strides, people begin to sing your praises so much that you think you have done marvelously well if care is not taken.
“But when you go to other States and see what other Governors are doing, you see the massive infrastructures going on, see the beautiful road network and level of coordination, you are bound to see governance in a whole new level.”
Governor Okpebholo continued: “For me, I am on a course to bring massive development to Edo, such that when I leave, the State would have taken its spot as one of the fastest developing places in Africa. So, when I travel out or visit other States, I take my time to go round the cities and observe how things work, with the mindset of replicating working models in Edo.”
Commending Senator Uzodinma for the massive developmental strides in Imo State, Governor Okpebholo said the Imo State has experienced such a massive turnaround in just few years that it was almost difficult to identify same places, stressing that such positivity was worthy of emulating and replicating.
According to him, Imo state Governor is a good ambassador of the Progressives Governors’ Forum, practically demonstrating through his reforms and project, what the forum stands for and believes in, vowing to not only replicate same in Edo, but set a new developmental record that would be a reference point.
Senator Okpebholo said: “I am impressed with what I have seen here. It is beautiful and motivating. You were in Edo a few months ago for the APC governorship primaries and saw the condition of things in the State. I can assure you that when next you visit Edo, you will not be able to recognize it because there would have been a massive developmental turnaround.
“I have a working template, I have taken my time to look at the State, and I came fully prepared to make a lasting positive impact. That is the reason we started working from day one in office as Governor. In one month, we have already done so much that Edo people can clearly see the direction we are heading.
“I want to thank you for what you are doing in your State and for being an inspiration to other Governors, especially those of us in the Progressives Governors’ Forum. What you have achieved is a challenge thrown at others, and I have taken this challenge. It is a healthy competition that would bring development to our people.”
On his part, Senator Hope Uzodinma thanked his Edo State counterpart for the visit, saying such visit would not only propel better collaboration but also serves as a template for better performance as Governors compare notes, share experiences and learn from each other.
He said, Governor Okpebholo should be a good ambassador of the Progressives Governors’ Forum by bringing massive development to his people and addressing vital issues that will bring progress and respite to the people of Edo State while expressing optimism of seeing a new, modern and developed Edo when next he visits the State
