The Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has given a six-month ultimatum to officials of the Edo State Ministry of Physical Planning, Housing, Urban, and Regional Development to correct the ills in the built environment sector and restore sanity in the system.
Obaseki gave the ultimatum while addressing officials of the Ministry who were on an annual retreat at the Edo State College of Education, Abudu Campus, in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State, with the theme, “Building Synergies through Effective Collaboration.”
The governor decried that major cities in the state were fast turning into slums as a result of the indiscriminate erection of structures and other ills in the built environment sector, thereby threatening the government’s developmental efforts.
Governor Obaseki said, “I am giving you advance notice now. I am giving you six months as we are going to hire more staff to bring orders to our cities. We have to create clean and functional cities. We will not accept the situation the way it is today. We need to improve the system.”
He further noted, “I am not seeking another election, nor am I seeking to be popular. I am seeking to do the right thing and leave a legacy behind. I am not threatening anybody but if you don’t do what you ought to do, you will go while I bring in fresh people to make the system work.