Okpebholo Approves 4,800 Special Assistants for Edo Wards
ISSN: 2354-4481
By Odunze Nnaemeka Livinus
BENIN CITY, EDO STATE — Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has approved the appointment of 4,800 Special Assistants (SAs) to strengthen grassroots governance and deepen the presence of his administration across the state’s 18 local government areas.
The governor announced the approval on Monday while addressing members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the 18 local government areas at the Government House in Benin City, the Edo State capital.
The initiative, according to Okpebholo, is designed to take governance closer to the people by creating a stronger administrative and political presence at the ward level.
He said the appointments would support his administration’s efforts to ensure that government programmes, development initiatives and opportunities reach communities across the state.
“So we are taking the governance to the grassroots so that whatever is from the top will also go down to the bottom,” the governor said.
Edo State, located in Nigeria’s South-South geopolitical zone, has 18 local government areas and numerous wards and communities spread across its three senatorial districts. Benin City, the state capital and the political and administrative centre of Edo, has traditionally served as the hub of state government activities.
Okpebholo said the new structure would help strengthen the connection between the state government and residents at the grassroots, while also reinforcing the organisational structure of the ruling APC across the state.
The governor also used the occasion to reaffirm his commitment to the APC, thanking party members for their support and contribution to his electoral victory.
“I want to say good morning to everybody and tell you that I love you all. I want to let you know that the party is our party. We don’t have any other party than APC,” he said.
Addressing concerns that may arise over the number of appointments, Okpebholo said approving 4,800 Special Assistants was justified, arguing that the victory that brought his administration to power was a collective achievement of party members.
“Approving 4,800 SAs is not an issue at all because we all work for this victory. The victory does not belong to Okpebholo alone,” the governor said.
The announcement comes amid efforts by the administration to consolidate its political structure and strengthen its grassroots engagement across Edo State.
The Special Assistants are expected to serve as links between government structures and communities, although further details on their specific responsibilities, remuneration, duration of appointment and the selection process were not contained in the governor’s announcement.
The approval also underscores the importance of ward-level structures in political mobilisation and the implementation of government policies. By creating a network of Special Assistants across the state, the administration intends to improve communication between government and citizens and facilitate the flow of information about government programmes to communities.
The governor’s meeting with APC members from the 18 local government areas also provided an opportunity to strengthen party cohesion and acknowledge the role played by grassroots members in the administration’s political success.
Okpebholo maintained that the government’s focus would remain on taking governance beyond the state capital and ensuring that people in communities across Edo State feel the impact of government.
The 4,800 appointments, if implemented across the state’s wards, would represent one of the administration’s most extensive grassroots political and administrative structures since it assumed office.
Further details on the names of the appointees and the modalities for their deployment are expected from the Edo State Government.
By Odunze Nnaemeka Livinus
