World Bank Pledges to Support Edo Govt on Job Creation

World Bank Pledges to Support Edo Govt on Job Creation

• Investor commits $250m, says Obaseki

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin

The World Bank has pledged its commitment to support Edo State Government to boost job creation for the youths.

Leader of the World Bank’s delegation to the state, Gloria Joseph-Raji, stated this during a visit to Governor Godwin Obaseki in Government House, Benin City.

She explained that the visit was planned as a follow-up to an earlier visit by the World Bank’s team in January 2019.

According to her: “Our overall objective is to support your government to boost job creation for youths in the state.

“We settled on supporting your administration to build a conducive environment for the private sector to thrive. The private sector creates the jobs but the government ensures an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.” Gloria said.

Governor Obaseki, in his response, said that an anchor tenant has committed about $250 million dollars investment to the Benin Enterprise and Industrial Park project.

The governor said his administration has made considerable progress on the Benin Enterprise and Industrial Park Project, which is scheduled to commence construction at the site before the end of the year.

“We have made considerable progress on our industrial park as we touched on an anchor tenant who has committed close to $250 million for their operation. This has been confirmed as I speak. We have two others from China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and we are working closely to get a commitment from them,” he noted.

Obaseki said his administration is focused on building conducive business environment to rev-up investment and create more job opportunities, noting that the state government is concentrating on key elements like improving land reforms, law and order, streamlining the state revenue service and human capital development to improve ease of doing business in the state.

He noted: “We have gotten support from Universal Basic Education Fund to build a digital laboratory at the College of Education in Abudu and we will work with you to build human capacity. The law for restructuring the College of Education is before the parliament and will be considered soon.

“Procurement for laboratory equipment for the Government Science and Technical College (GSTC) has been completed and will be ready for use by the last quarter of the year. We have identified three other technical colleges in Isi; Irrua and Igarra for similar projects.”

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