Muslim community on Friday gave the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led government a pat on the back for its socio-economic infrastructural development in the past seven years in the state.
The Muslim faithful commended the government at the Jum’mat service at the Benin Central Mosque as part of activities lined up for the 7th edition of the Alaghodaro Economic Summit.
The annual Summit also mark the 7th anniversary of the government has at its theme, ‘The Edo Story: Creating Shared Opportunities into the Future.’
Some of the Muslims who spoke at the prayer session include Abdul-Fatai Enabulele, the Chief Imam of Benin Central Mosque, Zubairu Dada Abubakar, Edo State Commissioner for Youths and Humanitarian Affairs.
Others are Sheik Ibrahim Oyarekhua, Chairman, Edo State Pilgrims Welfare Board, Bashiru Kadiri, former permanent secretary, ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Tajudeen Suleiman, Chairman, Akoki-Edo Local Government Council among others.
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Enabulele, who reeled out the several socio-economic and human oriented policies and programmes of the government in the last seven years, noted that Governor Obaseki deserved more accolades and applause.
The chief Imam, who urged the Governor not to rest in his developmental strides in the remaining part of his administration, however, prayed for his good health to be able to finish strong.
He also urged, who would-be successor to continue from where the Governor stopped by continuing with all his lauded policies and programmes.
On his part, Ibrahim Oyarekhua, Chairman, Edo State Pilgrims Welfare Board, noted that Muslims in the state must be grateful to the Governor for carrying them along in the scheme of things.
According to him, apart from the governor’s good works that are visible for all to see, he has also done a lot to make Muslims in the state happy.
“It is on record that it is during the present government of Governor Godwin Obaseki that the Muslim Hajji camp that can be comparable to anywhere in the world was built and commissioned in the state.
“He has never closed his eyes against anything that has to do with Muslim activities.
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“He is the only governor who won an award recently as the best serving governor and best friendly governor to Hajj management in Nigeria and in the whole of Southern states.
“The governor was honoured with the award by an independent body known as Independent Hajji Reporters in Abuja.
“No governor both in the past and present has won the award before. If he was not doing well, the body wouldn’t have been given the award. He won it for the fourth time”, he said.
He assured that the Muslim community in the state will continue to give the governor the needed spiritual and moral support to finish well as well as whoever will succeed him.
Also, speaking, Zubairu Dada Abubakar, Edo State Commissioner for Youths and Humanitarian Affairs, commended the Muslims in the state for all the support towards the state government.
He, however, urged them not to relent in their support for the government, particularly in the remaining one year of the administration in order for Obaseki to produce a worthy successor that will consolidate on policies and programmes.
Bashiru Kadiri, the former permanent secretary of the state said the government has done a lot in the areas of agriculture and other sectors
He noted that in years to come agriculture which had been the mainstay of the country’s economy will again replicate itself in Edo State.
He said that it would go a long way in boosting the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and internal revenue.
