From Ebohon Joan
The Edo State Government’s decision to return the Edo Museum of West African Arts (EMOWA) and the Oba Akenzua Cultural Centre to the Oba of Benin has been described as one of the major policy decisions of Governor Monday Okpebholo’s administration.
The Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Hon. Chris Okaeben, disclosed this during the bi-monthly press briefing of the Edo State Ministry of Information and Strategy in Benin City.
Okaeben explained that, contrary to claims that the European Union funded the Museum of West African Art project, the EU only provided a grant in support of the initiative. He said the Edo State Government invested N3.8 billion in the project, in addition to providing the land.
According to him, the facility will now revert to its original name, the Edo Museum of West African Arts (EMOWA).
The commissioner described Governor Okpebholo’s administration as a new beginning for Edo’s cultural heritage, saying the government was working to restore the state’s traditional values and promote its cultural identity.
He also announced plans for the Edo Carnival, scheduled to take place in December, saying the event would promote unity among Edo people and showcase the state’s rich cultural heritage.
Okaeben disclosed further that the ministry was grading hotels across the state as part of efforts to improve tourism standards and attract more visitors.
“We are partnering with investors on heritage sites. The Benin Moat is one of the state’s most important heritage sites for tourists to visit,” he said.
Also speaking at the briefing, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health Matters, Dr Andrew Iyamu, disclosed that the state government was revitalising the Edo Pharmaceutical Company to facilitate local drug production.
Iyamu said Edo currently has 35 general hospitals, noting that several facilities that had remained inactive for years had been reopened and restored to functionality.
He added that the government had recruited 1,500 healthcare workers across various cadres and renovated 65 primary healthcare centres across the state.
The Executive Secretary of the Edo State Drugs Management Agency, Dr princess Kenny Okojie, said the government had rehabilitated and stocked its drug warehouses, with up to 90% of required medications available for distribution to public health facilities and the private sector at affordable prices.
She also announced the provision of free malaria treatment to residents at health facilities across the state.
According to Okojie, the state is also partnering with pharmaceutical manufacturers to establish drug production facilities in Edo, a move expected to create employment opportunities and strengthen the local pharmaceutical industry.
Prince Kassim Afegbua,The Commissioner for Information and Strategy had earlier acknowledged concerns over the condition of roads across the state.
He attributed some of the challenges to roads inherited from the previous administration, particularly the administration of former Governor Godwin Obaseki, which he said included roads of substandard quality.
Afegbua assured residents that the state government would commence extensive road rehabilitation and construction, particularly within Government Reserved Areas (GRAs), after the rainy season.
The administration, he said, remains committed to improving infrastructure, healthcare, tourism and cultural development across Edo State.
