Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has approved the formation of a 14-member State Assets Verification Committee to investigate the administration of his predecessor, Godwin Obaseki. This was disclosed in a statement released on Sunday by Fred Itua, Chief Press Secretary to the governor.
The committee, which will be inaugurated on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, at Government House in Benin City, will be chaired by Dr. Ernest Afolabi Umakhihe, with Anslem Ojezua serving as deputy chairman and Frank Edebor as secretary.
The committee’s mandate, according to Itua, aligns with the governor’s vision for development and accountability. “In furtherance of the governor’s initiative to set the state on the path of development and accountable leadership, the establishment of a State Assets Verification Committee has become imperative,” the statement read.
Itua noted that despite repeated requests, the previous administration under Obaseki provided only “scanty and limited information” on the state’s assets and liabilities. He emphasized that the committee’s formation reflects Governor Okpebholo’s commitment to probity, accountability, and transparency in governance.
The committee includes notable Edo State personalities such as Kassim Afegbua, Patrick Ikhariale, Taiwo Akerele, Patrick Idiake, Rasaq Bello-Osagie, Fredrick Unopah, Abdallah Eugenia, Patrick Obahiagbon, Kenny Okojie, Lyndsey Tes-Sorae, and Abass Braimoh.
The announcement comes amidst a series of actions by the Okpebholo administration aimed at addressing perceived irregularities under Obaseki. During his inaugural speech on November 12, the governor vowed to investigate the exclusion of 14 lawmakers from the State House of Assembly in 2019. On Friday, he also ordered a probe into civil service recruitments carried out between May and November 2024.
Political analysts view the governor’s recent moves as part of a broader effort to establish his administration’s credibility and address lingering questions about the management of state resources during Obaseki’s tenure.
The committee’s findings are expected to shape the direction of Governor Okpebholo’s administration as it seeks to chart a new course for Edo State.
