Incumbent Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), at the governorship candidates’ debate on Channels Television on Sunday, educated the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, to change his thinking about governance.
Obaseki at the debate in Benin City, enlightened the APC candidate that thinking of governance is dynamic and changing globally which also translates to changes within states.
Governor Obaseki had declared: “The challenge my opponent and brother has is his thinking about government. That thinking is changing globally, and it has to change locally.”
Ize-Iyamu had chided Obaseki over his policy of privatising the health care sector and handing health facilities over to private entrepreneurs. The APC candidate also decried that the PDP candidate, seeking re-election, was unable to recruit more teachers to replace those that retired or were dead.
Obaseki scolded Ize-Iyamu that the pattern of governance has overtime changed globally.
The incumbent governor highlighted the achievements of his administration in the past four years on education. He disclosed that the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation earns N100 billion annually.
Obaseki highlighted: “Edo BEST earns N100 billion per annum with five million people. It means that budget-wise, you can only spend a maximum of N20,000 per citizen. What is N20,000 per citizen?
“So, the thinking has to change such that the N100 billion you earn, you should be able to attract multiples of that into your economy so that there are more wealth and availability for your citizens.”
Ize-Iyamu had criticized the Edo BEST programme, saying Obaseki failed to replace teachers who had retired or died in service.
Ize-Iyamu also agitated that contracting the health-care delivery system cannot be done because of the interest of the people.
Ize-Iyamu declared: “There are some areas that are vital sectors. For example, the governor is trying to contract out health management. That is ridiculous.
“Governor must look after the health sector; you cannot contract it out. Over 38 per cent of teachers have either retired or died. The governor has made no attempt to replace them.
“How can you have schools without teachers? So, when they talk about Edo BEST, it is a joke. What is best when schools don’t have teachers.”