The Edo State Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Bisi Idaomi, has showered praises on Governor Monday Okpebholo, describing his first year in office as a period defined by compassion, action, and a deep commitment to the welfare of ordinary citizens.
Speaking to journalists in Benin City on Monday, Dr Idaomi said the governor’s people-focused style of leadership had “proved doubters wrong” and earned him the admiration of the masses.
“It’s been an absolute pleasure to have him as my boss,” she said. “He’s a very good man with a wonderful heart. He worries about the poor, the unemployed, and the decay in infrastructure. In just one year, he has touched every sector of the State.”
Dr Idaomi commended the governor’s SHINE Agenda, a broad development blueprint that has guided his administration, noting that its impact could be seen across Edo’s infrastructure, social welfare, and poverty alleviation sectors.
Recounting her nine-month tenure as Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development before her redeployment, Idaomi highlighted an array of tangible projects that empowered thousands of women and children across the State.
She cited the commissioning of a 20-bed hostel at the Children’s Correctional Centre, the remodelling of key facilities, and the distribution of empowerment tools worth over ₦50 million to widows in all 192 wards of Edo. Beneficiaries, she said, received grinding machines, sewing machines, POS terminals, coolers, umbrellas, and popcorn-making machines.
“It was a joy to behold. We restored hope to women who thought life had forgotten them,” she said.
Dr Idaomi also revealed how her ministry collaborated with Zenith Bank to establish a crèche at Oba Market for nursing mothers and secured a $15 million World Bank-funded women’s project for Edo State.
“We’ve paid our counterpart funds, and the new commissioner will soon launch it. The project will transform the lives of women across Edo,” she added.
The Commissioner spoke passionately about her fight against gender-based violence (GBV), describing it as one of the ministry’s toughest but most rewarding battles.
“We went after offenders, fathers molesting their stepchildren, friends abusing their friends’ children. With the help of the Police Commissioner, C.P. Monday Agbonika, and our partners, about 15 offenders were arrested,” she disclosed.
She commended the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and its Swiss counterpart for supporting the establishment of a Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Uromi, scheduled for opening on 19th November and the existing Vivian Danjuma Centre in Benin, which she described as “the best in Nigeria.”
A third centre, she noted, was underway in Akoko-Edo, an area with high records of gender-based violence.
On child welfare, Dr Idaomi revealed that reforms in Edo’s orphanages were ongoing, with 65 homes already captured under a new record system. The updated Child Rights Law, which guarantees every child a legal identity, is currently awaiting the governor’s assent.
She noted that the ministry had also stepped up efforts in family counselling and social welfare, mediating several marriage disputes and ensuring children’s custody decisions favoured their best interests.
“We restored marriages, counselled couples, and ensured justice in custody cases,” she said.
Addressing mental health concerns, Dr Idaomi said the State had expanded its rehabilitation centres from a handful to 15, increasing their monthly operational budget by ₦3 million.
“The streets of Benin are beginning to reflect this progress. It’s a work in progress, but Governor Okpebholo is a listening leader,” she added.
Speaking on her current role, Dr Idaomi described the new Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation as pivotal to the governor’s broader mission of inclusive governance.
“This is a brand-new ministry, no baggage, no bureaucracy. His Excellency wants us to get to work immediately to reduce poverty and support the vulnerable,” she said.
She revealed that the ministry was developing an independent Edo State social register to guide cash transfers and intervention programmes, separate from the federal government’s Abuja database.
Plans are also underway, she added, to relaunch the *One Snack a Day* school feeding initiative in collaboration with the Presidency, beginning January 2026.
“Our goal is to make sure every child gets at least one nutritious snack daily, while empowering young people with practical skills. If you’re between 16 and 40, you have no business being unemployed,” she declared.
Dr Idaomi said the ministry would train artisans across various trades, including mechanics, carpenters, shoemakers, bakers, and barbers, in partnership with the National Directorate of Employment (NDE).
“The State is in good hands. Governor Monday Okpebholo is a distinguished gentleman with a heart for the people,” she said.
Echoing her sentiments, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Efosa Aisen, lauded Governor Okpebholo for defying critics and steering Edo State with quiet determination.
“We have a governor who doesn’t talk much but acts decisively,” Dr Aisen said. “His love for the downtrodden is clear. His focus is on the rural areas, on education, on giving governance meaning to every citizen.”
Dr Aisen also praised Dr Idaomi’s energy and drive, saying her passion for service would help translate the governor’s humanitarian vision into measurable results.
“I have just two days in this ministry, and I’ve already seen that Edo is in for the best,” he affirmed.
As Governor Okpebholo marks one year in office, his administration continues to draw praise for its people-centred approach, one that, according to Dr Idaomi, has “turned compassion into policy and hope into action.”
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