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As Edo Governor Monday Okpebholo marks two years in office, questions are mounting over the management of public funds, the delivery of infrastructure and the tangible benefits of government spending to ordinary residents.
Two years after taking office, Governor Monday Okpebholo owes the people of Edo State more than political celebrations, dancing, praise and worship. He owes them measurable development, visible projects and a transparent account of how public resources have been utilised.
The question is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore: where is the development commensurate with the enormous resources reportedly accruing to the state?
Figures being circulated put the revenue available to the Okpebholo administration at approximately ₦1.7 trillion within two years, compared with approximately ₦1.2 trillion during the eight-year administration of his predecessor, Godwin Obaseki.
If these figures are confirmed on a like-for-like basis, they raise serious questions about revenue management, spending priorities and the actual impact of government expenditure.
Edo people deserve to know what has happened to the money.
Where are the projects?
For ordinary residents, development is not measured by government publicity, political endorsements or the number of ceremonies organised by those in power.
It is measured by good roads, functional hospitals, properly equipped schools, reliable water supply, employment opportunities, improved security and better living conditions.
Across Edo State, citizens have every right to demand a comprehensive account of the projects initiated, completed and commissioned by the present administration.
Which major roads have been completed? How many public schools have received substantial rehabilitation? What improvements have been made to healthcare facilities? How many jobs have been created? What has changed for rural communities?
These are not unreasonable questions. They are legitimate demands from taxpayers and citizens whose resources sustain government.
What do the financial records reveal?
Interestingly, Edo State's own 2024 Citizens' Accountability Report records total revenue of ₦502.44 billion and actual expenditure of ₦463.08 billion for that year.
The report puts capital expenditure at approximately ₦262.75 billion, while recurrent expenditure accounted for a substantial share of government spending.
More troubling questions have also emerged over budgetary discipline.
A February 2026 investigation by PREMIUM TIMES reported that Edo State recorded approximately ₦14.15 billion in extra-budgetary expenditure in 2025, involving the executive, legislature and judiciary.
Among the findings were excessive spending on government overheads, renovations and other expenditures that reportedly exceeded approved budgetary limits.
The report also identified instances of development programmes and projects receiving little or no funding despite their inclusion in the budget.
These findings demand clear explanations from the government.
Government must move beyond propaganda
The Okpebholo administration has spoken about its SHINE agenda, covering security, health, infrastructure, natural resources, agriculture and education.
It has also announced road construction initiatives and ambitious electricity-sector investments.
But announcements and budgetary promises are not the same as completed projects.
Edo people need evidence: project locations, contract sums, contractors' names, commencement dates, completion timelines, amounts paid and the actual state of work on the ground.
A government that receives public funds must be prepared to account for every naira.
Edo people deserve answers
The governor must explain how much money his administration has received since November 2024, how much has been spent, how much remains unspent, how much has gone into debt servicing and how much has translated into tangible capital development.
The Edo State House of Assembly must also demonstrate that it is exercising its constitutional oversight responsibilities rather than simply approving government proposals.
The people should not have to settle for political entertainment when what they desperately need is economic progress and improved public services.
If the administration has performed, let the evidence speak. Let the government publish its project-by-project expenditure records and invite independent verification.
If billions have been received, the results should be visible.
Two years in office should be enough time to demonstrate a clear direction and measurable progress.
Governor Okpebholo must understand that governance is not a praise-and-worship competition. It is a responsibility to the people.
Edo State cannot afford a government that celebrates itself more than it delivers for its citizens.
The people want development, not political drama.
Where is the money? Where are the projects? And where are the results?
These are questions Governor Monday Okpebholo must answer.
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