By Staff Reporter
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has approved the appointment of 4,800 Special Assistants (SAs) as part of efforts to strengthen grassroots governance and deepen the participation of All Progressives Congress (APC) members in government.
The governor announced the approval on Monday during a meeting with APC members from the 18 local government areas of Edo State at the Government House, Benin City.
Okpebholo said the appointments were part of his administration’s commitment to taking governance, development opportunities and government programmes to the grassroots.
“I want to let you know that the party is our party. We don’t have any other party than APC,” the governor told the gathering.
He added that his administration was determined to ensure that government activities extended from the state level to wards and communities.
“So we are taking the governance to the grassroots, so that whatever is from the top, will also go down to the bottom,” Okpebholo said.
Speaking on the 4,800 appointments, the governor said the initiative was also a recognition of the contributions of party members to the APC’s electoral victory.
“Appointing 4,800 SAs is not an issue at all because we all work for this victory. The victory does not belong to Okpebholo alone,” he said, while thanking party members for their support.
Earlier, APC Edo State Chairman, Jarret Tenebe, commended the governor for what he described as efforts to reposition and strengthen the party since assuming office.
Tenebe said the APC had become more active and stable under the Okpebholo administration, adding that the government had created opportunities for party members to participate in governance and bring the dividends of democracy closer to the people.
According to the APC chairman, the governor approved the appointment of 25 Special Assistants in each of the 192 wards across the state, bringing the total to 4,800.
He said the meeting was convened to brief ward chairmen and other party stakeholders on the criteria and guidelines for selecting beneficiaries.
“In his magnanimity, the governor has decided to appoint 25 SAs in each of the wards in 192 wards across the state. And that is the reason why we decided to invite ward chairmen and members to this meeting so we can tell you the criteria to select these people that will benefit from this appointment,” Tenebe said.
Tenebe further disclosed that the APC State Working Committee had constituted a committee to liaise with the various wards and ensure compliance with the stipulated guidelines.
The committee is expected to compile the names of qualified nominees and submit them to the party headquarters in Benin City.
The APC chairman also commended the administration for creating what he described as a more conducive environment for the party to operate, including plans to provide the party with a vehicle for its activities.
He said the administration had also supported APC candidates in the local government elections, including councillors and council chairmen, describing the measures as part of efforts to strengthen the party’s grassroots structure.
The meeting was attended by members of the APC State Working Committee, Deputy Governor Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa, Chief of Staff to the Governor, ward chairmen and other party representatives from the 18 local government areas.
The development is expected to further strengthen coordination between the Edo State Government and the APC structure at the ward and local government levels as the Okpebholo administration pursues its grassroots governance and mobilisation agenda.
