Inside Edo
Edo assembly advances economic Bills, sets public hearing on MOWAA, Radisson Blu projects
Written By: Udo Inobeme
20 Nov 2025 01:50 AM
Benin, Edo – The Edo State House of Assembly on Tuesday moved forward with two major economic bills and announced a two-day public investigative hearing into the controversial Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) and Radisson Blu Hotel projects initiated by the immediate past administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki.
During plenary, lawmakers gave unanimous backing to:
– A Bill for a Law to Establish the Edo State Economic Planning and Development Council
– A Bill for a Law to Establish the Edo State Housing Estate and Real Estate Regulatory Agency
Both bills were referred to the Joint Committee on Finance and Economic Planning and the Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs for further scrutiny, with a directive to report back within two weeks.
Speaker Rt. Hon. Blessing Agbebaku emphasized that the proposed agencies will strengthen economic coordination, attract investment, and regulate the rapidly growing real estate sector in the state.
In a related development, the House fixed November 20 and 21, 2025 for an open investigative public hearing into the findings of two ad-hoc committees earlier set up to probe the funding, construction processes, and current status of the MOWAA project and the Radisson Blu Hotel along Limit Road, Benin City.
The probes were triggered by public disputes between the current administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo and the immediate past government over the transparency and completion status of both high-profile projects.
Speaker Agbebaku described the development as “disturbing” and reiterated the Assembly’s resolve to uphold transparency, accountability, and good governance in all state-funded initiatives.
Lawmakers also passed a motion congratulating Governor Monday Okpebholo on marking his first year in office on November 12, 2025.
Members praised what they called his “equitable distribution of projects” across the three senatorial districts and his focus on delivering democratic dividends to the people.
The twin developments signal an active legislative agenda under the new Assembly leadership, with economic reform and oversight of legacy projects of the previous administration taking center stage.
During plenary, lawmakers gave unanimous backing to:
– A Bill for a Law to Establish the Edo State Economic Planning and Development Council
– A Bill for a Law to Establish the Edo State Housing Estate and Real Estate Regulatory Agency
Both bills were referred to the Joint Committee on Finance and Economic Planning and the Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs for further scrutiny, with a directive to report back within two weeks.
Speaker Rt. Hon. Blessing Agbebaku emphasized that the proposed agencies will strengthen economic coordination, attract investment, and regulate the rapidly growing real estate sector in the state.
In a related development, the House fixed November 20 and 21, 2025 for an open investigative public hearing into the findings of two ad-hoc committees earlier set up to probe the funding, construction processes, and current status of the MOWAA project and the Radisson Blu Hotel along Limit Road, Benin City.
The probes were triggered by public disputes between the current administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo and the immediate past government over the transparency and completion status of both high-profile projects.
Speaker Agbebaku described the development as “disturbing” and reiterated the Assembly’s resolve to uphold transparency, accountability, and good governance in all state-funded initiatives.
Lawmakers also passed a motion congratulating Governor Monday Okpebholo on marking his first year in office on November 12, 2025.
Members praised what they called his “equitable distribution of projects” across the three senatorial districts and his focus on delivering democratic dividends to the people.
The twin developments signal an active legislative agenda under the new Assembly leadership, with economic reform and oversight of legacy projects of the previous administration taking center stage.
Comments