Edo State Government under our leadership will embark on wealth creation for the citizens of the state through the uncommon embrace of the public private partnership paradigm to bring about economic prosperity in various sectors of the state’s economy:

1. Industrialization

A strong and prosperous Edo State will depend upon a vibrant and growing manufacturing sector that can create competitive advantages in the midst of rapid technological change and globalization of markets, production and innovation. Manufacturing provides a great opportunity for the transformation of the Edo economy from a basically agrarian economy to a modern and diversified one. It is an antidote for unemployment, a creator of wealth and harbinger of sustainable development. As an engine of growth, manufacturing production offers prospects to create an integrated state economy linking the agricultural and mining sectors, thereby promoting the use of local raw materials and employment generation.

• We will sponsor an executive bill to create Edo State Investment Promotion Commission (ESIPC) to drive inward investments, entrepreneurship support and development.
• A furniture-manufacturing cluster
• We also intend to establish a garment-manufacturing cluster
• A Solid minerals cluster will also be created in Edo North
• Edo Central, which is renowned for rice, will play host to the Grain Cluster
• Our government will partner with stakeholders, banks and financial institutions to resuscitate and revamp Edo industries including the Fertilizer plant, Auchi; Cassavita Industry, Uromi; Ava Cement Factory, Akoko-Edo; Fruit Juice Factory, Ehor; Bendel Brewery, Benin and Ewu Flour Mill to mention but a few. This policy would create additional 3000 direct jobs and sustain over 10,000 related jobs in the economy.

1. Transport

• Our government will also seek technical partners and investors to develop and extend railway lines to the three senatorial districts.
• We will establish two modern trailer parks (complete with workshops, gas stations, rest rooms and catering facilities) for articulated vehicles – one at Oluku-Ore road and the other at Aviele, along Benin-Auchi Road
• Edo line will be revived and made fully operational while Edo City Transport Service (ECTS) will be strengthened to cover more communities, so as to foster collective integration for all citiz

1. Diaspora Engagement

• We will constructively engage with our citizens in Diaspora to harness the potential in financial and intellectual investment targets. In particular, we will actively welcome their partnership in our public private sector engagement and collaboratively promote their offer to expand private philanthropy.
• We will set an investment target of 5000 hours per year in the area of medical missions, sport-diplomacy, and other areas of volunteer work. We will encourage more direct intervention projects from Diaspora by way of direct investment in local businesses or green spring projects by facilitating channels for Diaspora investments into transparent businesses.
• We will organize a Diaspora Investment Forum and explore the opportunity of a Diaspora Bond. Ongoing engagement and collaboration with Diaspora shall be by way of a structured approach where government will take the proactive steps and full responsibility for developing a model for Brain Drain to be turned into measurable transfer of talents, skills, professionalism and financial targets. Edos in Diaspora are already a major contributor to GDP growth and known patrons of nascent tourism but the absence of an engagement platform has prevented the government and people of Edo state from reaping and developing on this huge resource.

1. d) Agriculture and Rural Development

The centerpiece of Edo State agricultural policy shall be the empowerment of the small-scale farmers. At the same time, we shall promote commercial large-scale farming. Both sets of farmers will be supported with certified high yield seeds or stocks of live stocks, effective rural development, rural infrastructure, stable energy supply, agricultural credit, marketing and processing arrangements, research and training backup, and quality control. The agricultural policy will create and expand job opportunities by intervening and facilitating job and wealth creation through the entire agricultural value chain –

• Seed multiplication farms- livestock and fish breeding centres will be established under Public Private Partnership (PPP) to facilitate access to high yielding and disease resistant inputs, livestock (breeding stock) and fingerlings.
• To deploy the existing micro- credit schemes in conjunction with the Banks of Industry/Agriculture to generate wealth and incomes for rural dwellers;

1. e) Tourism

The ultimate goal of our tourism economic programme will be to capitalize on the centrality of the state to develop ‘BRAND EDO’, which is built around entertainment, historical and cultural heritage. Tourism’s main comparative advantage over other sectors is that visitors’ expenditure has a “flow-through” or catalytic effect across the economy in terms of production and employment creation. During the construction phase of tourist accommodation and services, tourism creates jobs in that sector. Tourism investment can generate the demand for locally produced foods, clothing, art and craft, furniture and furnishings, and capital equipment. Tourism also generates the demand for transport, telecommunication, and financial services.

The development of Edo State Tourism industry will be in partnership with experienced local and international stakeholders in the following areas:

1. Development of Edo Tourism Master-Plan
2. Organization of an annual Benin Carnival

• Creation of Tourism Development Zones

1. Convocation of Edo State Tourism Summit
2. Creation of Tourism Clusters
3. Identification of Tourist Destinations across the state

• Reclamation and Development of Tourism Assets
• Classification of Tourist services

1. Local, Regional and International Marketing Programmes
2. Construction of a world-class Shopping Mall in partnership with private investors
3. Convocation of Annual Bronze Festival in Benin City.

• Creation of holiday resorts located in sprawling environments of several hectares. This will attract big players like Hilton, Marriott and Disney etc. In the process we shall attract huge investments opportunities through venture capital to the state. This will enhance the brand identity of Edo State as a globally acclaimed tourist-destination.

We shall create the Edo State Tourism Bureau, which will operate independent of government bureaucracy to allow for operational efficiency, professionalism and global standards.

1. f) Markets

Most of our markets are in terrible conditions lacking conveniences and safety, hence the need to rethink the way they are built and the process of management. We would develop strategic partnership with credible investors renowned for constructing markets to construct ultra-modern, as well as specialized markets for our people. We would ensure that space standards, choice of materials, structures that take cognizance of the environment as well as fire service form the basics of the new Edo markets. Government will discourage market women from encroaching on the roads by building these new markets in spacious environments devoid of clustering and far removed from highways. We shall also encourage through PPP the construction of Shopping malls in major centres across the state.