X-raying Okpebholo’s Logic of Development, by Osamwonyi Omozuwa

The Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, recently presented the Appropriation Bill for the 2025 fiscal year to the Edo State House of Assembly. The proposed budget, which is about N605 billion, is branded “Budget of Renewed Hope for a Rising Edo.” It shows the Governor’s logic of development. 

In this context, the term logic of development denotes the underlying principles, strategies, and reasoning that will guide the process of socioeconomic transformation in Edo State as encapsulated in the proposed 2025 budget.  Expectedly, the proposed budget captures the planning, decisions, and policy actions that will be executed to achieve the administration’s five-point agenda: Security, infrastructural development, healthcare, food sufficiency, and education.

It is cheering to note that the Budget of Renewed Hope for a Rising Edo represents a 25 percent increase from the 2024 budget. The Governor’s logic of resource allocation reflects careful prioritisation. 37 percent (N223 billion) is allocated to recurrent expenditure, which will enhance the smooth operation of government functions. The larger part, 63 percent (N381 billion), is meant for capital projects. This demonstrates the administration’s commitment to reducing the cost of governance and fostering people-centred development. 

For well-meaning people who are acquainted with the bad state of roads in Edo State, it is cheering news that a substantial portion of the capital budget, N162 billion, is earmarked for road development.  It is a clear indication that good roads are a centrepiece of Okpebholo’s vision of enhancing connectivity and economic growth. 

Good budgets are not short-term fixated. They ensure immediate development goals do not undermine long-term sustainable and equitable progress that improves everyone’s quality of life. Hence, education is a focal point of Okpebholo’s first budget in office.

The Governor has prioritised the restoration of the glory of tertiary education by allocating N500 million in monthly subventions to Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma. Also, strategic support will be extended to other tertiary institutions. This intervention underscores the administration’s commitment to improving educational infrastructure and addressing the challenges faced by tertiary institutions. 

Effective development addresses the needs of all sectors of society, including vulnerable groups, ensuring that no one is left behind.  Everybody needs security to thrive. So, the Governor has committed to strengthening peace and safety in Edo State by procuring 20 patrol vehicles for security personnel and lifting the ban on the Edo State Vigilante group. These actions are a proactive approach to enhancing public safety, which is essential for sustainable development.

The N63.9 billion allocated to improve accessibility and affordability of health services puts a mark of prudence on the 2025 Appropriation Bill before the State House of Assembly.   It is impressive that a total sum of N1.8 billion is dedicated to health insurance.  Hopefully, it will ensure that more Edo residents benefit from quality healthcare services.

Okpebholo’s logic of development also highlights the role of agriculture in job creation and food security.  His administration has allocated N4.5 billion to the sector for farm mechanisation and farmland protection. It is expected that this will improve productivity and contribute to the state’s economic stability. 

The Budget of Renewed Hope for a Rising Edo takes cognancies of the fact that prudent development strategies are designed to accelerate people-friendly and long-lasting growth without depleting natural resources, undermining social equity, or triggering environmental degradation. It is an actionable forward-looking development strategy capable of transforming Edo State across multiple sectors. 

By it, Okpebholo has shown his preference for inclusive governance. While crafting the Budget of Renewed Hope for a Rising Edo, he ensured that stakeholders were consulted. Hence, its participatory element is people empowering and would engender broad-based support and a sense of ownership among the people of Edo State. 

 It is cheering that the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, pledged to ensure the swift passage of the budget. It underpins the synergy between the Executive and the Legislature in advancing the state’s development agenda.

There is no perfect development agenda anywhere in the world. Emphatically stated, the Budget of Renewed Hope for a Rising Edo does not pretend to be perfect. From my perspective, its drawback like most budgets is that it does not entail a specific empowerment mechanism for the enterprising women of Edo State. Edo women are the backbone of the informal economy. The government should empower them to do more. 

Governor Okpebholo’s name will be written with gold in the annals of Nigeria’s development history if he creates women-only business incubators, accelerators, or co-working spaces that offer mentoring, resources, and networking opportunities. It will enable female entrepreneurs to connect with mentors, investors, and other women who can provide strategic support for business development.

Governor Okpebholo’s logic of development may not enhance the socioeconomic fortune of the good people of Edo State who elected him into office if, during implementation, godfathers and cronies undermine the principles of equitable resource allocation.  The Governor is not a greenhorn or a lame duck. So, it is expected that he will follow the dictates of prudence, demonstrate allegiance to his oath of office, and stand on the side of the people, regardless of who is displeased in the process. 

Dr Osamwonyi is a development communication expert he can be reached via aceomozuwa@gmail.com