Edo State Government has defended its 18-month performance, citing progress in infrastructure, healthcare, education and security. Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kasim Afegbua, spoke at a news conference in Benin on Wednesday, attributing achievements to the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo. He dismissed recent protests as orchestrated by "faceless actors" and rejected claims of stagnation. Afegbua highlighted ongoing and completed road projects, including the near-finished Ramat Park flyover and Adesuwa junction flyover, as evidence of tangible development. Rehabilitation of Sapele Road and multiple urban and rural road projects across Edo South, Central and North were also noted. Despite early rains affecting timelines, he said road construction had accelerated. In education, about 6,500 teachers were recruited, and school rehabilitations increased from 68 to nearly 80. The government committed N2 billion to Edo State University, Iyamho, raised its monthly subvention from N100 million to N250 million, and provided buses for students. On healthcare, 75 primary healthcare centres have been built, with a target of 160 in four years, while work resumed on Stella Obasanjo Hospital, inherited at 55 per cent completion. Economic interventions include a N1 billion interest-free loan scheme for market women and N1 billion for student bursaries. Afegbua stated that kidnapping had "dropped maximally," citing bush-combing operations and the procurement of over 100 Hilux vans and 300 motorcycles for security agencies. Local governments received heavy-duty equipment to improve rural mobility.
Prince Kasim Afegbua's robust defence of the Okpebholo administration reveals a government acutely aware of its public image and determined to shape the narrative around its first 18 months in office. Rather than simply listing achievements, the emphasis on visible projects like flyovers, teacher recruitment and healthcare centres suggests a strategy rooted in tangible deliverables to counter political noise, particularly from protests tagged as externally driven.
The administration's focus on infrastructure and social spending comes against a backdrop of widespread public skepticism over unmet promises in past tenures. By anchoring legitimacy in completed roads and revived projects like Stella Obasanjo Hospital, the government is leveraging physical evidence to build credibility. The N2 billion university funding and teacher recruitment are not just policy moves but political signals—aimed at educators, students and urban middle-class voters who value education reform.
Ordinary Edo residents, especially rural dwellers and market women, stand to benefit from improved roads, healthcare access and interest-free loans. These interventions, though incremental, directly affect daily survival and mobility, particularly for women in informal trade and students in underserved communities.
This push mirrors a broader trend among Nigeria's newer governors: prioritising visible, short-term wins to consolidate early support amid economic strain and eroded public trust.
