He noted that the Obaseki-led administration used consultants to run the affairs of the state. He said while going through the records of EdoGIS, he discovered that a consultant was hired and paid N6 billion and another N2 billion for “ordinary software.” According to him, “I directed the training of our own people who are now handling the job. We have sent the consultant away from the State, saving money to develop Edo State.

“Our civil servants are well-trained. We have the best brains in the State, but Godwin Obaseki used consultants instead of utilising the human resources in the State. We are saving money today as a Government because we are using the civil servants to do the jobs consultants were formerly doing.

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“We are just about eight months in office, but by the time we are two years in office, Edo people will know they have a Governor who is ready to work for the interest of the people.

“I will open the books to check the financial dealings and how Obaseki governed Edo State in the last eight years. A university in this state received N47 million under Obaseki’s administration, while he paid a consultant N51 million. This was not good enough. They wanted to continue with this act, but God helped us to push them out.

“Since I came into office, I have not sacked anybody but rather continued with the civil servants I met in the office. The Head of Service during Obaseki’s administration is still working with me. So also a lot of Permanent Secretaries in the civil service. Edo was tired of transactional people but now we will look into their records. We will set up a Commission of Inquiry to look into the books and dealings of the previous administration. We will open an interrogation to check their records. They have finished fighting us, and now I am ready to fight back and ensure that all those that cheated Edo people in the last eight years are all brought to book”. On his part, Idahosa said it was time to be focused and work for Edo people.

Supporters locked out

Meanwhile, thousands of supporters of the APC were locked out of the celebration in the Government House after walking alongside the governor’s convoy from the Benin Airport. When most of the supporters arrived at the gate of the Government House, they were informed by security operatives that only high profile persons would be allowed to enter for refreshments.

Some of them said they left their houses as early as 7 am and waited for several hours till the governor came only to be denied access into the Government House. One of them, Mrs. Ebosele Omogiate said, “I left my house before 7am for the airport and stood under the sun for hours before the arrival of the governor. We engaged on a road show with him to the government house, only for us to be shut out.”

The Service had recently embarked on digital innovations, putting in place a new visa regime and several innovative services, including the e-Visa Application Channel which replaced the Visa-on-Arrival policy, e-CERPAC, Landing and Exit Cards and Temporary Work Permit.

It also installed e-gates at the nation’s major airports and commissioned a Command and Control Centre, with the aim of using the digital solutions to leverage technology to streamline processes, enhance security, and improve the overall experience for travellers and stakeholders.

US president, Donald Trump has few days ago announced a 10 per cent tariff on Nigerian goods exported to the US, a development seen as a knee-jerk reaction to President Bola Tinubu’s visit to Brazil to participate in the BRICS summit after initial threats by Trump.

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Also on Tuesday, the US Embassy in Nigeria further announced visa restrictions for Nigerians as it effected single-entry three-month visa validity.

In a tweet on its X handle on Friday, the US Mission in Nigeria however dismissed the concerns, saying America’s decision is part of an ongoing global review of the use of its visas by other countries using technical and security benchmarks to safeguard U.S. immigration systems.

The US also added that its decision was not as a result of Nigeria’s refusal to accept Venezuelan deportees from America.

It said; “The US Mission Nigeria wishes to address misconceptions about the recent reduction in visa validity for most nonimmigrant US visas in Nigeria and other countries.

“This reduction is not the result of any nation’s stance on third-country deportees, introduction of e-visa policies, or affiliations with groups like BRICS.