A cloud of uncertainty hangs over Government House, Benin City, as the Transition Committee in Edo state awaits clarification on the state government’s stake in several high-profile projects. The projects in question include the Ossiomo Power Plant, Edo Modular Refinery, and Radisson Blu Hotel.
At a joint session between the PDP and APC Committees, the PDP team promised to discuss the matter with Governor Godwin Obaseki, while the APC team was left stunned when government officials claimed ignorance about the projects’ ownership and stake. These projects have cost taxpayers billions of naira.
A petition addressed to the Transition Committee and copied to the EFCC has added fuel to the fire, alleging that Quadrant Consolidated Systems Engineering Limited, owned by Uwagboe Igiehon and Mark Igiehon, has been used for financial transactions involving the Ossiomo Power Project ¹. The petition, signed by Comrade Samuel Osawaru of the Edo Integrity Group, claims that Chinese Clean Energy and Telecom Company (CCETC) is the technical partner of Ossiomo Power Project, and both companies are holding companies for the plant’s owners.
The Edo Integrity Group has appealed to the Transition Committee and EFCC to investigate the activities of Ossiomo Power Plant, citing concerns over estimated billing and recent metering of government agencies since the PDP lost the election.
In a related development, an anonymous letter has indicted Governor Obaseki over the acquisition of Edo Modular Refinery and Radisson Blu Hotels, which were funded with taxpayer money but allegedly converted to private ownership. The letter urges security agencies to investigate the funding of these companies.
The owners of Radisson Blu have expressed discomfort with their brand being linked to corruption allegations and have written to the governor, offering to pull out of the partnership and franchise for integrity’s sake.
Key Projects Under Scrutiny:
Ossiomo Power Plant_: A 55MW power plant set to be expanded to 550MW, with concerns over ownership and financial transactions ².
Edo Modular Refinery_: Allegedly acquired with taxpayer funds, but not declared as state property.
Radisson Blu Hotel_: Funded by the state government, but not included in handover notes to the transition committee.
As the transition of power approaches, with Senator Monday Okpebholo set to take over from Governor Obaseki in two weeks, the Edo state government’s silence on these projects has raised more questions than answers.
