In what experts describe as another validation of the reforms and progress being made by the administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki, Africa Report in its July/August 2018 edition, has ranked Edo third among states in Nigeria that recorded impressive progress in recent times.

The report ranked the states along the lines of multidimensional poverty index, access to electricity and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) per capita.

It ranked the 36 states in Nigeria, excluding the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Edo placed only behind Lagos, which came first and Kwara, which took the second position in the ranking.

On specifics, Edo ranked 5th in multidimensional poverty index, and with a score of 82.4 in Access to Electricity, it placed 6th.

Also, with a 76.4 score in the internet users as share of 2016 population, Edo ranked 4th among Nigerian states.  

Edo belonged to the group of states the report captured as the Land Cruiser states, which according to the magazine, “are making it farthest and fastest, with a few bumps on the road.

“Lagos – Nigeria’s business hub – tops the charts, but its scores on the World Bank’s Doing Business rankings show that it has much to do to cut the complications of getting construction permits and other bureaucratic tasks.

“Lagos blows the competition away on collecting taxes and despite widening inequalities, it is doing better than its peers at cutting poverty and boosting education and healthcare.”

Other categories in the ranking are the Danfo states, which are described as being “like the ubiquitous bus that gives them their name.

“The Danfo states are getting close to their destination quickly, breaking a few rules on the way and on a smaller budget.

“The states include Abia, Ekiti, Akwa Ibom, Oyo, Bayelsa, Ondo, Imo and Nasarawa.

Then, there are the Okada states and waka waka states. The Okada states are Enugu, Plateau, Niger, Benue, Taraba, Kano, Gombe and Adamawa.

The Waka Waka states, according to the Report, include Katsina, Bauchi, Borno, Kebbi, Ebonyi, Zamfara, Sokoto and Jigawa.

By David Owei

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