Ease of doing business: How Okpebholo Is resetting Edo’s economy with security architecture --- By Eubaldus Enahoro

The need for security in any society cannot be overemphasized as it provides the key to a chain of other stabilizing socio economic activities

From inception,  Governor Monday Okpebholo unequivocally expressed his concerns about the threat of insecurity in the state and he promised to do everything within his powers to collaborate with the necessary government agencies to make Edo safe

The Governor was conscious of the fact that for ease of doing business no investor brings money to a state that is not safe  and no factory employs youths where there is insecurity.

That is why the first duty of any government is security and the Governor Okpebholo's administration has been very aggressive in tackling the menace from the beginning .

For years, Edo’s reputation was dragged by cult clashes, kidnapping on our highways, and illegal levies at motor parks and markets. Traders in Ekpoma, Auchi, and Benin were paying multiple taxes to "task force boys" instead of government

The Okpebholo administration recognized this early. and the message from Government House was clear: Edo must be safe for business and several measures were taken including the reorganization of the state security architecture 

What followed was deliberate action. Collaboration with Police, DSS, Civil Defence, and the local vigilantes was strengthened. The clampdown on illegal revenue collection began. Checkpoints were professionalized. 

The result? People can now move freely and travel on the  Benin-Auchi-Ekpoma road at night with less fear. Markets are opening earlier and the  Santana market traders along Sapele road now do business late into the night without being afraid.

It is now obvious that when security improves, everything else follows and when a business owner is not afraid of cult boys in the evening, he stays open longer and employs more people.

This is obviously what the Okpebholo administration understands: Security is an economic policy that is number one in the SHINE agenda

Beyond security, Gov Okpebholo is sending signals to investors, that  Edo is the new destination for investment despite the wrong information being circulated by enemies of the government that the state is not safe

Political analysts in the state have observed that the direction is clear and the blueprint is: Secure the state first. Fix the roads next. Then bring in the investors.

The administration is focusing on "Security First" as part of the Project SHINE agenda 

and several hundreds of motorbikes have been distributed  to security agencies across the three senatorial districts to access forests and hard-to-reach areas where kidnappers hide

Patrol Vehicles which includes hundreds of Toyota Hilux have also  been procured for security operations across the state

It is noteworthy that the state has procured multifunctional drones with advanced capabilities for surveillance, trained over 2,500 Security Corps personnel who are incorporated into the ESSC and deployed across all 18  local government areas. They are now on government payroll

There have been high-level security meetings, regular strategic briefings with Police, Army, DSS, Civil Defense.

Everybody knows that Okpebholo has zero-tolerance for crime because of his public declaration that "criminals must leave Edo State" and Edo will be made "uninhabitable for criminals"

The government amended the Anti-Cultism and Anti-Kidnapping Law for Stiffer penalties to be introduced. This has no doubt "significantly reduced cult-related violence"

The Governor requested the Chief Judge to set up special courts for speedy trial of kidnapping and cultism cases to avoid delays and the courts have started sitting in the state.

Gov Okpebholo has always reiterated it clearly: "Security is the foundation of development, and we will not compromise the safety of our people"

The idea is Secure roads,  Secure communities and the  Investor confidence are rekindled thereby creating  Jobs for Edo people.

Edo  needs a new story. Not a story of crisis, but a story of commerce, prosperity and that is why the state must SHINE

Under Senator Monday Okpebholo, that story is being written. A story where a welder in Jattu can work till 8pm safely. Where a tomato seller in Oba Market is not harassed. Where a logistics company can say publicly: "Edo works."

Apparently a safe Edo is a working Edo. A working Edo is a prosperous Edo and all these would make the state investor friendly.

Eubaldus Enahoro was former Editor of the Nigerian Observer Newspaper