Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has said his administration will work with telecom and laptop dealers in the state to establish a modern market for their trade, including a proposed Edo Computer Village.

According to the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Patrick Ebojele, Okpebholo made the commitment on Tuesday at the Government House, Benin City, while receiving members of the Telecom and Laptop Dealers Union, Edo State, led by its Chairman, Akhile Rodney.

Okpebholo told the delegation that he understood the sector well, having started out in the business himself.
He praised the union for seeking a structured relationship with the government and urged its members to remain focused as they built their businesses.

“I am one of you because I started the way you are today. One thing is to have something doing; another thing is to be focused. However, I am also proposing a computer village like what is in Lagos,” he said.

He recalled watching Computer Village in Lagos grow from a small association into a major hub for telecommunications and computer-related trade, and said Edo traders could achieve something similar.

On the union’s request for land, the governor said the state would consider a suitable site for the proposed market. According to him, a purpose-built location would reduce the rent traders pay, provide better security and make it easier to monitor commercial activities and identify criminal elements.

“We should be able to do that so that you can pay less rent and be highly protected,” he said.

Okpebholo added that the state government was committed to creating a conducive environment for businesses to grow.

He credited the stability of the naira under President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms with helping operators in the telecom and computer industry, which depends heavily on imported products. He said a steadier currency would ease foreign exchange pressure and help dealers plan better.

He then urged union members to support President Tinubu’s re-election, saying the continuation of the reforms would create more opportunities for businesses.

Earlier, Rodney asked the state government to establish modern telecom and laptop markets in all three senatorial districts.

He said the union wanted the government to allocate land in strategic locations, which members would develop and manage themselves, to reduce the high cost of renting shops, improve security and provide traders with a better working environment.

The chairman also called for the appointment of special advisers from the industry to improve engagement between the government and operators, as well as the establishment of a lasting partnership framework to address challenges in the sector.

He said the union was ready to help the state attract investment, create jobs and increase the sector’s contribution to Edo’s economy.

Also at the meeting were the Deputy Governor, Dennis Idahosa; the Edo State APC Chairman, Jarrett Tenebe; the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Yakubu Musa, JP; and other government officials.