Edo engages MDAs, others on design of Benin Technical College flood control project

The Edo State Government is engaging all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), among other stakeholders, to ensure better coordination in the delivery of its people-centric projects to the people and discourage wastage in apportioning state resources.

The government, through the Edo State Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (Edo NEWMAP) hosted a one-day inter-ministerial collaboration workshop to review efforts by the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration to improve the living standards of Edo people through various people-oriented projects and programmes across the state.

The workshop was also targeted at improving collaboration among various MDAs and proffer solutions to the Benin Technical College Catchment Area.

Present at the workshop include the representatives from the Ministries of Environment and Sustainability, Roads and Bridges and Physical Planning, Urban and Regional Development.

Others are Edo State Oil and Gas Producing Areas Development Commission (EDSOGPADEC) and Edo State Employment and Expenditure for Results (SEEFOR), among others.

The Project Coordinator of Edo NEWMAP, Dr. Tom Obaseki, noted that the parley was aimed at bringing together all stakeholders so as to enhance synergy among ministries, departments and agencies of government.

According to him, “One of our major objectives is ensuring that the eventual preliminary engineering design for the Benin Technical College Catchment Area is all-encompassing and acceptable to all stakeholders.”

He further noted, “The workshop is aimed at enhancing synergy among government ministries, departments and agencies. More so, with the present economic situation of the country, there was the need for the state government to discourage wastage in the apportioning of its scarce financial resources in providing development dividends to the people by preventing the duplication of construction activities across all communities in the state.”

Obaseki said the report from the workshop will form the basis for providing a holistic solution to the problem of flooding in the Benin Technical College Catchment Area.

Earlier, Commissioner for Environment and Sustainability, Mr. Jonathan Lawani, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr. Lucky Wasa, enjoined participants to take advantage of the opportunity provided by the workshop to enhance collaborative efforts among the various MDAs in the state.