This time through Commissioner for Information Kassim Afegbua, Crusoe Osagie, the media adviser to former Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki, has taken a jab at the state administration, accusing it of creating “a cocktail of lies” to deceive the public.
In a statement released on Friday, December 12, Osagie stated that he was compelled to address the Edo State Government’s “cocktail of lies” once more.
Afegbua “appears to have suddenly woken up from his elongated hiatus since his appointment,” he continued.
Osagie contended that the Radisson Hotel Project dispute followed a well-known pattern that, in his opinion, has characterized the current administration’s actions since assuming office.
In order to hide what he saw as the government’s lack of a development roadmap, he accused the government of purposefully creating disputes.
“This charade has become a predictable pattern deployed by this government since it took office over a year ago, clearly to deflect the attention of Edo people from the obvious fact that the government has no development plan for the people of the State,” he stated before delving into the specifics of the situation.
He listed a number of initiatives that, in his opinion, had been unfairly singled out, starting with the N30 billion Museum of West African Arts (MOWAA).
Osagie claims that the government also targeted the 95MW Ossiomo Power Project, initiated a “onslaught” against the Saro Farms and Ethanol Plant in Ikpoba Okha, destroyed the Edo Printing Center at the Nigerian Observer premises on Airport Road, and even made an attempt to attack Presco, which it later withdrew from following the blowback.
He claimed that the Radisson Hotel Project was the most recent in what he called a string of manufactured disputes.
Speaking about the project, Osagie emphasized that the Obaseki administration designed the Radisson Hotel initiative as a component of a larger plan for the state’s tourist growth.
He said that MOWAA, the projected Benin Royal Museum, and backing for the National Museum at Ring Road were all part of this complete program.
According to Osagie, the project was carried out using the former governor’s “deft financial skill.”
He stated, “Obaseki has explained for the umpteenth time that the project was started by his government as a part of the larger plan for the tourism sector.”
According to Osagie, the project was given to a private partner “at a value multiple times the amount the government had invested in it” after the government provided the initial funding to entice investors, as is customary worldwide.
According to him, the state kept 20% of the company’s shares while the new investor assumed “the full assets and liabilities of the project.”
Osagie accused Governor Monday Okpebholo of escalating the idea to judiciary and anti-graft agencies in an effort to undermine it.
“Okpebholo has taken the Radisson Project to the EFCC and has also gone to court in an endless rat chase to undermine the project in search of a reason to destroy this laudable investment initiative,” he said.
He insisted that government officials had resorted to “propaganda as a form of media trial” after such attempts had “proven futile.”
“Investments in Benin-speaking Edo South Are Being Crippled”
Osagie cited a recent piece he wrote titled “Okpebholo’s attack on Benin-speaking Edo South leaves economic carcasses on his trail” to support his claims.
He claims that the investments that the current administration is hostile to are “curiously” all found in the Benin-speaking Edo South Senatorial District.
He issued a serious warning, pointing out that in addition to the larger value chains they were intended to support, the impacted investments were positioned to directly and indirectly employ “not less than 50,000” people.
He claimed that by delaying these initiatives, the government had put an end to prospective business ventures that would have begun “one year after the Obaseki administration.”
“I doubt these five-star projects would have faced such vicious and irresponsible attacks from the Okpebholo government if they were located in Auchi, Iyamho, or even Irrua,” Osagie went on.
“Investors are scared away by their actions.”
The former governor’s assistant maintained that the current administration’s activities constitute an attack on the trust of the business sector.
He cautioned that such behavior would deter potential investors and perhaps compel current ones to move their businesses.
He stated, “They must be reminded that their careless and irresponsible actions constitute a direct assault on the sensibilities and sensitivities of private-sector investors.” Osagie stated, “At the very least, it will further discourage investors from coming into the State, and in many cases, could even force those who are already operating in the State to seek alternative locations for their businesses.”
He emphasized that Obaseki had “neither a direct nor an indirect stake or ownership in the project” and insisted that the Radisson Hotel development was carried out in the best interests of the Edo people.
He continued, “We implore them to spare the people of Edo this distraction.” “The Radisson Hotel project was clean and executed with the public’s best interests in mind.”
“Edo People Need to Hold Okpebholo Responsible”
Osagie concluded by advising citizens to concentrate on making sure the governor fulfills his duties rather than being influenced by what he called purposeful disinformation.
“We urge the people of Edo to disregard the lies, not be distracted, remain focused, and hold Okpebholo accountable for his responsibilities to Edo people, which include protecting their lives and property and creating opportunities for them to live life to the fullest,” he declared.
The government has to be questioned about how “this barrage of attacks on investments in the State translates into jobs and tangible benefits for the teeming youth population of the State, many of whom are seeking opportunities to work, earn a living, and build careers,” he insisted.
