Edo governor pledges continued security drive as deputy calls for national unity

Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo has pledged that his administration will continue working to protect lives and property, saying security is essential to farming, trade, investment and other economic activity. The governor made the commitment in an Independence anniversary message issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Patrick Ebojele. Okpebholo said the government had worked to make Edo safer and warned people who might attempt to disrupt the peace of the state.

He said the administration would continue collaborating with security agencies, traditional rulers and community leaders, who he described as important partners because of their knowledge of local communities and terrain. The governor linked security to other areas of government activity, including roads, schools, hospitals and opportunities for young people. Under the SHINE Agenda, he said, the administration was also pursuing improvements in healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture and education.

Okpebholo cited the reopening of several hospitals that had been closed for years, with some shut for almost two decades. He also said more than 600,000 residents had enrolled in the Edo State Health Insurance Scheme. According to the governor, salaries were being paid regularly and Edo was among the few states implementing the ₦75,000 minimum wage.

He acknowledged that more work remained, describing the reported gains as a foundation rather than a completed programme. Okpebholo thanked residents for their patience and said government would continue listening to public feedback, including criticism. The governor urged citizens to mark the anniversary by recommitting themselves to peace and unity, saying patriotism included how people treated one another and protected public assets.

He also commended President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to reposition Nigeria through the Renewed Hope Agenda. Idahosa separately called on Nigerians to maintain hope and help build a stronger and more prosperous country. In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Friday Aghedo, he said the anniversary recalled the sacrifices of the generation that secured independence in 1960.

He said nation-building required citizens’ patriotism, creativity and commitment, and reaffirmed the Edo government’s focus on security, infrastructure, healthcare, education, agriculture and human capital development.