Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has hinted at the imminent introduction of artificial intelligence in governance.
He made this revelation while addressing the Labour movement during the Workers’ Day celebration on Wednesday.
“I can only predict that in a very few years, or if not months, Edo State will begin using Artificial Intelligence to assist in running the government. Yes, you will use AI, and you will have AI,” the governor stated.
Governor Obaseki used the occasion to highlight his administration’s achievements over the last seven and a half years, emphasizing that the welfare of workers and every citizen in Edo has been the foundation for every decision and action taken by his government.
He disclosed that his administration has employed about 5,000 additional workers to bolster the state’s workforce.
“I have always been conscious of the responsibility which God has placed on me, and despite hostilities and vendettas by some politicians, I have done everything in my power and human ability to ensure that I do not stray from the ideological path of using public resources for the good of our citizens,” Obaseki affirmed.
The governor recounted the transformation of Edo State from having the highest rates of human trafficking and irregular migration seven years ago to becoming a state with one of the lowest numbers of multidimensional poor people, infants, and maternal mortality rates, as well as out-of-school children in Nigeria.
“One of the things I promised in 2016 was that I was going to build our institutions for governance, and today we can proudly say that we have been able to achieve modest institutional reforms in Edo State,” he added.
Obaseki also highlighted the significant institutional reforms achieved in Edo State, including the recruitment of over 5,000 new workers based on merit and the establishment of the John Odigie Oyegun Public Service Academy, which has trained over 10,000 workers.
He commended the workers for embracing and adopting technology, such as the EdoBest platform for teachers, e-health technology for healthcare workers, and other applications to improve government operations.
Addressing the recent increase in the minimum wage in Edo State from N40,000 to N70,000 per month, Governor Obaseki stated, “The N70,000 minimum wage is within what we can afford as a state government. However, should the federal government decide on a higher minimum wage and decide to make the funds available to states, the Edo State government will adjust its minimum wage accordingly.”
He assured workers that salaries would continue to be paid on or before the 26th day of every month and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to an effective health insurance scheme for public servants.
In response, the State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Odion Olaye, expressed appreciation to the governor for approving N70,000 as the minimum wage for workers. He urged the governor to fulfill his promise of paying the wage award to cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy removal by the federal government.
