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General News of Tuesday, 17 August 2021

Source: guardian.ng

Obaseki tasks youths on use of technology to address food challenges

Governor Godwin Obaseki Governor Godwin Obaseki

Reassures of sustained investment in security as Esan group alleges neglect
Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has urged youths to join the global technological innovation to build enduring systems to tackle food challenges so as to feed the world’s growing population in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Obaseki gave the charge on the sidelines of the International Youth Day marked by the United Nations and its partners.

He said his administration would continue to equip young people with globally sought-after skills to enable them to take advantage of opportunities to produce healthy foods for the growing world population.

“Through the Edo State Skills Development Agency (EdoJobs), we organise trainings for Edo youths on in-demand technology-oriented skills especially to encourage them to provide solutions to the global demand for healthy foods,” he said.
He noted that the state government would sustain the execution of other youth-focused training, as Edo State transits to become the technology hub of the South-South region of Nigeria.

Speaking on the 2021 International Youth Day with the theme: Transforming Food Systems: Youth Innovation For Human And Planetary Health, he said, “On our part, besides providing our youths with training, we are also working with other partners in assisting our youths to have access to grants and funding to equip them with the skills to compete in global markets.”

MEANWHILE, Obaseki reassured residents that his government would sustain investment in the state’s security architecture to ensure the protection of lives and property of citizens.

Obaseki gave the assurance when executives of Esan Okpa Initiative (EOI), visited him at the Government House, Benin City.

The governor, who was represented by his Chief of Staff (CoS), Osaigbovo Iyoha, said the government plans to recruit and train over 10, 000 local security personnel to complement the federal security agents to tackle insecurity in the state.
Speaking earlier, President of the group, Matthew Egbadon, lamented that successive Edo State governments had relegated Esan people of the Central Senatorial district and denied them political positions since 2008 to the detriment of development of the area.

At a media briefing in Benin City, he described the situation as ‘political oppression’ and urged the Obaseki-led government to rejig the state’s security architecture.

Egbadon said Edo Central Senatorial district had been relegated by successive governments at the state and federal levels since 2008 under former Governor Adams Oshiomhole and was yet to get a better deal under the Obaseki administration.

He urged Obaseki to ensure that Esan people in his party were not only given important positions but also encouraged and supported to vie for higher political positions in the state.