By Kevin Okunzuwa
Benin – Mr Osagie Crusoe, Special Adviser on Media and Communication Strategy to Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo, says his re-election, will bolster the state’s economy to tackle the vagaries of the post-Coronavirus (COVID-19) era.
Osagie gave the assurance in a statement, a copy of which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin on Tuesday.
He said that as world leaders grappled with the economic realities occasioned by COVID-19 and rejigged policies to assuage the impacts, Obaseki has initiated Making Edo Great Again (MEGA) manifesto.
Osagie said the PDP candidate in the Sept. 19 gubernatorial election had designed socio-economic policies contained in MEGA manifesto that would address the challenges arising from the pandemic.
He said: “Our manifesto is alive to the challenges of today and the future, with specific policies and programmes tailored to reflate and stimulate the state’s economy.
“In our manifesto, a section is devoted to post-COVID-19 economy. In that section, the governor said that he would be running a post-COVID-19 economy after the election.
“This would task our resolve to restart the economy even as we push for an economic stimulus package to resuscitate businesses, sustain livelihoods and hold the economy together.
“In essence, our focus would be on supporting businesses with low interest loan facilities; strengthening the productive sector by prioritising the Edo Production Hub Initiative and pursuing more impactful policies in the agricultural sector.”
He said the reforms in the Edo State College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Edo State College of Education would be sustained under Obaseki’s second tenure.
The special adviser said the administration would source for more partners to pull in resources to groom youth in the state for global competitiveness.
“We will leverage on our assets at the Edo Innovation Hub to migrate more of our people, especially workers and businesses to the digital space, because much of human activities will be done online going forward.
“We will increase investment in the health care system while ensuring the statewide rollout of a responsive and well-managed health insurance scheme.
“Obaseki is an economist and an expert in resource management.
“He will not rely on consultants to know what economic policy can fittingly address the state’s several socioe-conomic challenges,” he added
( NAN)
