9th July, 2019
By Jethro Ibileke/Benin
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State on Tuesday said the state has created not less than 50,000 jobs in the last seven years through the State Employment and Expenditure for Results (SEEFOR).
Besides, he disclosed that the state was the first in the country to publish contracts above N10 million in its official website for public scrutiny and to ensure accountability in government.
Obaseki stated this on Tuesday at a one-day workshop organised by Edo SEEFOR, with the theme “Sustainability of Social Accountability in Public Sector.”
The Governor, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Taiwo Akerele, said the state executive council last year also approved the sum of N6 billion to complement the activities of SEEFOR in the state, as financing from World Bank was gradually winding down.
He said; “Edo State Government has generated over 50,000 jobs through the intervention of SEEFOR alone in the last seven years.
“Edo State is the first state in Nigeria to publish in its website all contracts above N10 million. With the support of SEEFOR, we have been able to pass into law the Public Financial Management law, the Auditing law and others.
“We also commend the federal government for making Edo to benefit from the European Union component of SEEFOR which is to complement the World Bank assisted funding for employment of young people in the state.
“Edo State Government has taken over from where SEEFOR has stopped to close the gap. In October last year, the state executive council approved the sum of N6 billion to support SEEFOR and that accounts for why SEEFOR in all parts of the state because World Bank funding is drying out and we are not going to say because World Bank is no longer giving us money we will not fund SEEFOR.”
In his presentation, the Dean, Faculty of Arts of the University of Benin, Professor Eddy Eragbe, charged the citizens to monitor and query whatever projects all the tiers of government were doing.
Earlier, the Project Coordinator, Edo SEEFOR, Toju Onaiwu said the workshop was to further enhance public knowledge and accountability in government.