Fresh trouble for Oshiomhole, as Obaseki tightens up on N30bn probe

The former national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, may be encountering fresh trouble back home in Edo State. This is not unconnected with the insistence of Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State on the probe of N30 billion Stormwater Project in Benin City executed by the Oshiomhole administration. Governor Obaseki had recently declared that despite the N30 billion Stormwater project former Governor Oshiomhole did in Benin, the state capital and its environs are still having problem of erosion and flood. The governor, accordingly, set up a committee in February to conduct thorough investigation into the stormwater project of the Oshiomhole administration.

The Edo State government had since then been at alert over issues relating to the stormwater project. the state government later discovered plot to burn the offices of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainability where the stormwater project documents were kept.

The Secretary to the Government of Edo State, Osarodion Ogie Esq. in a statement, disclosed that the state government received intelligence on plot to burn the Environment Ministry and intervened urgently to save the documents required for the investigation of the stormwater project. according to the SSG, the government deployed security operatives to guard the premises overnight, and thereafter, evacuated the documents to a safe location.

The state government was optimistic that the necessary information or records needed for the investigation are contained the documents targeted to be burnt by hired hoodlums.

The SSG, Ogie Esq., had in the statement on February 19, 2021, declared: “following the commitment of the Edo State Government to probe the N30 billion Benin Stormwater project, the state received intelligence of a possible arson at the office of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainability, which houses vital documents on the project.

“The government immediately deployed security operatives to guard the premises of the Ministry overnight to protect its assets.

“We have successfully evacuated these vital documents to a safe location to ensure their integrity and in readiness for a probe.

“Government will ensure that it uncovers the details surrounding the project and its execution and assures that all those culpable are brought to justice.

“We will do the right thing for Edo people as always and work assiduously to ensure that our people get value for our money as regards the execution of the N30 billion stormwater project.”

Governor Obaseki had in 2020 berated former Governor Oshiomhole over outrageous fund disbursed for a specialist hospital in Benin City that was not performing to the optimum service delivery. The governor ordered investigation into the hospital project and the committee, in its findings, indicted Oshiomhole. That case is still hanging while another investigation is taking off.