ogbeide Ifaluyi-Isibor

When Ogbeide Ifaluyi-isibor was Commissioner, what exactly did he do? That's a question some have posed and it deserves a response. In response, I'll start by saying that I came into public service with a conviction: that your politics or public service must improve the everyday life of ordinary people. That belief guided me when I was given the opportunity to serve as Honourable Commissioner for Digital Economy, Science and Technology, Edo State. My time in office was just about 16 months. Not long. But from my very first day, I asked myself a question that stayed with me--> When you leave here, what will the people remember you for? I remember the first time I followed Gov Godwin Obaseki to Evbareke and Uwelu spare parts markets for campaign, the drive to Evbareke was a terrible one and that was strategic market and a strategic problem in my constituency and i felt uncomfortable. I knew the Governor felt uncomfortable too because the traders complained and while I knew that so many community roads needed attention, I acknowledged that as Commissioner, i must persuade, advocate, and push within the system to get some things done. I knew i must make my case again and again for that road until it is heard. So I did just that. I engaged. I pushed. I followed up. And gradually, we began to see results. Roads like Uwelu, Eweka, Evbuotubu, and the stretch from BDPA to Ogida and several others received attention. Some are still ongoing by this administration(I celebrate that) but the process started because someone refused to stay silent. Speaking for My People......... I knew I was not just in government, i was there to represent my people at the table where decisions were made. In Useh, access to primary healthcare was a real concern. I grew up there and the only primary healthcare center serving Useh, Ogida and environs was Useh health center. So, I pressured my colleague who was Commissioner for Health to come visit the sorry state of the health center and thereafter, I fought to include the Useh Primary Healthcare Centre in the Edo state Government and the World Bank-supported intervention programme for primary healthcare centers that quarter in that year. Today, that facility stands completed, already in use and waiting to be commissioned. I am happy to have played a role in it. Electricity was another challenge that affected me personally like everyone else in my community. Many people may not know this-->the transformer serving Useh just opposite the Primary school was donated by my father in 2008. For years, it struggled under the weight of growing demand. Time and time again, it will go bad and the locals will put funds together to fix it temporarily. So when the opportunity came for government to distribute transformers, I knew I had to fight for my people again. It wasn’t easy. The demand was far greater than the supply. But I kept pushing. Eventually, three transformers were allocated to Egor LGA, including a 500KVA transformer i installed near Useh Primary School replacing the old one. Now, the people enjoy some power, though epileptic but they are not cut out like it used to be. I am happy I played a role. In the middle of 2024, The State Universal Education Board was intervening in selected Basic education schools across the state, Useh Secondary School didn't fall into the category of schools selected for that phase of intervention but I knew I had to do something about that. Through persistent engagement with the SUBEB leadership, I facilitated the construction of six classroom blocks at Useh Secondary School and advocated for other schools like Evbareke secondary school. Construction is ongoing, but what matters is this: we started something that will outlive us and I am happy I played a role in that. Beyond My Community......... While I remained rooted in my constituency, I also had a responsibility to the entire state. And I am proud of what we achieved together.