By Suleiman Anyalewechi
The Peoples Democratic party PDP on Sunday, August 10, 2025, berated Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State for spending over N 3.5 billion on foreign travels without a commensurate result.
This is just as the State Government insisted that it has never engaged in any unfruitful trips both local and foreign.
A statement from the spokesperson for the Edo State Chapter of the PDP, Chris Osa Nehikhere, alleged that Governor Okpebholo spent the whopping sum within three months without attracting a single Foreign Direct Investment, FDI, to the State
It will be recalled that the National Bureau of Statistics had, on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, in a report, listed Edo as one of the 30 States that incurred an expenditure of over N11 billion on foreign travels within the first quarter of the year.
The report on Capital Importation , instructively stated that the amount was expended without the attraction of any foreign investment.
In the statement entitled “Stop the Jamboree: Edo Government’s Reckless N3.51 Billion Travel Spree Amidst Crumbling Infrastructure is Shameful”, the Edo PDP expressed regret that the Edo State Government, under Okpebholo, has been squandering taxpayers funds on needless foreign trips, while other serious States are busy attracting investments.
The PDP, while describing the uncontrolled spending as an affront to the good people of the State, lamented that the resources could have been more meaningfully deployed to the development of infrastructural facilities,and other sectors of the economy.
“The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Edo State Chapter, is outraged by the disgraceful revelation that Senator Monday Okpebholo-led administration squandered an alarming N 3.51 billion on travel in just first half of 2025.
“This waste comes at a time when the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, Capital Importation Report confirms that Edo State failed to attract a single Kobo in foreign investment while states like Lagos ,Ogun, Oyo , Kaduna, Kano and even Ekiti made the list .
“The contrast is both embarrassing and telling. Other states are opening their doors to the capital. Edo leaders are opening their wallets for endless trips.
“It is unacceptable that while other states are working to attract investments, Edo leadership is squandering scarce resources on trips that yield no tangible benefits .
“Governance is not a jamboree. Leadership demands prudence, vision and a commitment to prioritizing the needs of the people over frivolous indulgences”, the PDP stated
According to the PDP, Edo State and its people deserve a Government that will rather focus on job creation, improvement of infrastructural facilities, and enhancement of the quality of life of the citizens.
At this trying moment, the party believes that the people do not need a Government that will be obsessed with globe-trotting at public expense .
This is as the party urged the Government to, as a matter of urgent necessity, put an end to such frivolous and unrewarding foreign trips and focus on rejigging the ailing infrastructural facilities ,in the State.
However, while reacting to the PDP’s allegations, Fred Itua, the Governor’s spokesperson noted that unlike the PDP era ,the Government has been intentional in its official engagements.
According to him, all local and international travels have been strategically programmed to forge partnerships, attract investments, and secure opportunities both in the short and long-term basis .
“Unlike the PDP era where foreign trips were little more than shopping expeditions and family vacations for political office holders, officials of this Government travel with clear objectives, measurable results and unwavering commitment to the people’s progress”, Itua stated.
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