In response to accusations from the Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) regarding the alleged mismanagement of over N28 billion on a hotel project, the Edo State Government has attributed the increased project costs to inflation induced by the APC-led Federal Government.
On Saturday, Edo State APC Chairman Emperor Jarret Tenebe accused Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration of squandering state resources on projects like the Radisson Hotel, whose ownership status and that of other projects, such as the Edo Modular Refinery, remain unclear. Tenebe also called for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate Governor Obaseki, the PDP governorship candidate Asue Ighodalo, and his running mate Osarodion Ogie.
In a statement on Sunday, titled “Edo 2024: Clear Incompetence, Ignorance on Contemporary Governance Forcing APC to Deploy Diversionary Campaign Tactics,” Crusoe Osagie, Special Adviser to the Edo State Governor on Media Projects, acknowledged the contract amount but blamed the cost increase on poor economic management by the Federal Government.
“They make light of the investment in Radisson Hotel, a key addition to the state’s hospitality landscape. Edo today boasts only one international hospitality chain, the Protea brand managed by Marriot, with Radisson being the second. The potential benefits of increasing the number of international brands bode well for the state’s nascent tourism sector,” Osagie said.
He explained that many projects had undergone contract variations due to the declining value of the naira and other economic challenges. “Today, the development is costing more to complete because the fundamentals have changed and there is a need to reassess financing. The APC would appreciate this if they were better schooled and had a basic understanding of macroeconomic dynamics.”
Osagie also addressed allegations concerning other state projects like the e-governance Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system and the Edo Modular Refinery. He advised the APC to focus on substantive issues rather than diversionary tactics.
