Edo IRS Boss Lauds Okpebholo’s Education Reforms, Hails Governor of the Year Award
The Executive Chairman of the Edo State Internal Revenue Service (EIRS), Otunba (Hon.) Oladele Bankole-Balogun Esq., has penned a glowing open letter congratulating Governor Monday Okpebholo on his designation as Governor of the Year 2025 in Education, describing the honour as a fitting testament to the administration’s transformative strides in the sector barely one year into its tenure, while underscoring the governor’s personal passion for elevating educational standards across Edo State as evidenced by his hands-on approach, insistence on excellence, meticulous attention to detail, and firm conviction that education serves as the bedrock for fostering a prosperous and secure future for the state’s populace.
In the letter, made available to newsmen in Benin-City, Friday, Otunba Bankole-Balogun, who enjoys the rare privilege of collaborating closely with the governor in his capacity as EIRS helmsman, highlighted how Okpebholo’s visionary leadership has not only sustained but fundamentally reshaped the educational landscape of Edo State within this remarkably short period, pointing to the resounding triumph of the EduRescue Initiative, which has successfully reintegrated thousands of out-of-school children back into classrooms complete with free textbooks and vital learning resources, as a beacon of purposeful, people-oriented governance that prioritises inclusivity and long-term human capital development, while also noting a marked surge in teacher morale driven by the promotion of 8,476 educators to reward merit and commitment, the onboarding of 100 specialised technical instructors to invigorate vocational training, and ongoing digital upskilling alongside rigorous capacity-building programmes designed to arm educators with the tools to thrive amid global technological shifts.
Otunba Bankole-Balogun further extolled the governor’s bold revitalisation of existing technical colleges alongside the groundbreaking establishment of a brand-new facility in Ovia, initiatives that have robustly fortified the state’s vocational education architecture to ensure graduates emerge equipped not merely with academic credentials but with tangible, market-relevant skills poised to combat youth unemployment and fuel economic diversification in Edo, even as decisive clampdowns on illicit ‘mushroom’ schools and unregulated tutorial centres, coupled with proactive partnerships with examination authorities to stamp out malpractices, have meticulously restored the sanctity, trustworthiness, and overall credibility of the educational framework, earning widespread acclaim for upholding rigorous standards in a sector long plagued by compromise.
The EIRS chief also showered praise on Governor Okpebholo’s compassionate yet strategic interventions, including the approval of a whopping one billion naira bursary fund tailored for indigent students to shatter financial barriers to learning, as well as the epoch-making, hitch-free devolution of schools back to their original missionary custodians, measures that eloquently blend empathy with forward-thinking policy to cultivate holistic citizenry development, before affirming from his ringside vantage point that this prestigious award is no fluke but the inevitable harvest of the governor’s audacious vision, unyielding courage, and methodical implementation, proving beyond doubt that the ‘New Edo’ agenda transcends mere sloganeering to manifest as a palpable reality through resolute political resolve and disciplined execution.
“Please be assured of our unwavering support at EIRS as you continue to build a stronger, more educated and economically vibrant Edo State,” Otunba Bankole-Balogun assured, which reiterated hearty congratulations to the governor.
Signed:
Otunba (Hon.) Oladele Bankole-Balogun Esq., ACTI, Executive Chairman, Edo State Internal Revenue Service.
