By Amos Cole
Edo people are concerned about their daily bread, their survival, their problems, jobs or hustles, and their basic needs.
They are increasingly feeling the strain of the current economic situation. Many are worried that they won’t be able to make ends, meet and provide for their families. Jobs are hard to come by, and those who do have them are often stuck in low-wage positions with little or; no opportunity for their advancement. The rising cost of living is biting hard that even those who have jobs may not be able to pay their bills or save some penny for rainy days.
In one of our interactive sessions with the Edo people, Mama Beatrice, an Edo indigene who survives as a trader at Oba Market, is more emotional when she’s thinking Edo with Victor Eboigbe’s focus on relief for the people. As a petty trader, she wants Victor Eboigbe to create the enabling environment for her business to boom, for a comfortable livelihood, to train her children in standard schools with quality teachers, and have peace of mind.
She wants quality health care services in a secure neighborhood with a regular power supply. She wants affordable rent and school fees for Beatrice, who is about to enroll in Ambrose Ali University(AAU), Ekpoma. Mama Beatrice’s concern is not much different from Mr. Emeka Obiakpo, who is a spare parts seller at the Evbareke Market.
“Our concern is that Edo State should improve our trading environment by fixing water log areas within the market due to areas with roads not tarred. If the government can tidy up these environments, organize taxes and make local governments do their jobs by supporting their constituents welfare benefits, it will go a long way to alleviate our sufferings.”
Mr. Mohammed Akhun from Agbede is concerned about the roads from Ekpoma to Agbede, Aviele and Auchi, even if it’s a federal road, he believes like during Oshiomhole’s era that the state can assist. Several businesses are in shambles, and people can’t make an honest livelihood because of bad roads and insecurities across the state.
To think Edo with Victor Eboigbe, from the northern axis of the state, we would maintain the Sabongida Ora Road, which links up to Auchi. From the central part of the State, Ewu to Agbede to Aviele, it is equally necessary to create an alternative Edo State Road to Auchi so as not to cut off our towns while waiting for the federal government,
Iguosa Uyi from Ovia said that he’s concerned about the lack of established industries to aid their farm produce as end users and also the support of the riverine communities in these areas.
“You know farming is our mainstay in Ovia both land and water. We want a government that will build us factories that will make use of our farm produce and with good roads and versatile farm implements that will change the narratives in our local governments”
To think Edo State with Victor Eboigbe is to look into the narratives of sustainable farming in the Ovia South and North axis and other parts of Edo State.
Practically, and in this mechanized farming era, as part of our food security policy, we must change the way we farm. We must research, to manufacture our farming tools locally which would further attract farmers due to the increased yield at lower cost. We must create cooperative systems that would enable small farmers to partake in mechanized farming as a group within the government policy structure and to benefit from government support that includes mild agro policies of soft loans schemes, farm yield off takers schemes, high yield seedlings programs, functional commodity and produce boards, food storage, grain silos, livestock freezers, warehouses where farm produce would be comfortably processed and stored for the market. Productions and empowerment is our major concern for our youths at the rural level.
Think Edo 2024 with Victor Eboigbe,
For the people by the people.
Amos Cole, an analyst, is based in Benin City.
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