1. Prince Clem Ikanade Agba was appointed Minister of State for Budget and National Planning by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, in August 2019. As Minister, he has kept fidelity with his mandates of providing leadership to the Ministry in annual preparation of federal budget, national planning, national monitoring and evaluation of capital projects, manpower development, as well as economic and social research, among others. In active collaboration with the Hon Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, members of the Federal Executive Council and of course, the National Assembly, he has ensured the sustainability of Federal Government of Nigeria’s standardized budgetary calendar (January-December Budget Cycle) with an enhanced public participation in the budget process through public presentation of draft Medium-Term Expenditure Framework/ Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF/FSP). This process has continued to reduce uncertainty in the economy, ensure discipline, improve coordination and engender public participation in the budgetary process.
2. Prince Clem Agba supervised the preparation and production of Nigeria’s new National Development Plan (2021-2025), working in close liaison with his dear and very progressive sister, the Hon Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs (Dr) Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, which has been approved by the Federal Executive Council and recently launched by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR.
3. As a member of the Federal Executive Council and the State Actors’ Co-chair of Nigeria’s Multi-Stakeholders’ Forum, Prince Clem Agba, an open government advocate, ensures that citizens are involved in government’s processes and kept abreast of government’s decisions. In this regard, he spends time seeking to persuade diverse groups of people, including the public, other government officials and the media on major government policies and programmes. Without a doubt, doing this requires inclusiveness and the willingness to be open with facts and figures. He has also been strengthening monitoring and evaluation process to ensure that the nation is not only getting value for money but also that its resources are judiciously deployed for national development. Consequently, he initiated and embarked on the development of a web-based application, called the “EYE MARK” which will assist citizens to “eye mark” and report on government’s projects and programmes “earmarked” for their communities, using their mobile phones and in “real time” which will be launched shortly.
4. Your Excellencies, Royal Highnesses, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, recall that as a result of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, an Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) was conceptualised by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, and chaired by His Excellency, the very erudite Prof. Yemi Osibanjo GCON, SAN. This plan went a long way in mitigatingthe impact of the pandemic, and the effect of a deep recession that the country would haveexperienced as a result of the economic shutdown and saved a lot of jobs including an accelerated recovery from the pandemic-induced economic recession which many developed economies are still contending with.
5. Amongst the very many interventions of the ESP includes the establishment of 52 Intensive Care Units (ICU) with 520 Beds, 52 Molecular Laboratories, 52 Isolation Centres at Federal Tertiary Hospitals (Federal University Teaching Hospitals and Federal Medical Centres), procurement of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), the construction and rehabilitation of about 495 kilometres of rural roads in agro-corridors in about 366 communities to prevent post-harvest losses, bolster food security and ensure Nigerians did not die of hunger in the heat of the pandemic.
6. Using his position as a member of the Federal Executive Council, Prince Clem Agba facilitated the award by His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, of several road projects in Edo State amongst which are: the 9km Igo-Ikpalla road project in Ovia Northeast LGA; the 13.5km rural road project from Auchi-Agenebode Junction to Iviukhua in Etsako East LGA; Ogbona-Ogomeze road in Etsako Central LGA, Okpekpe- Uzanu road in Etsako LGA, the Agbenebode-Udochi-Osomhegbe (Ekperi) road project, spanning Etsako East and Etsako Central LGAs, the Ojirami-Uneme Erhurhu and Enwan-Egbigere Roads in Akoko-Edo LGA; the Warrake-Iyekhara-Egono road in Owan East LGA, Iyamho-Ayua road in Etsako West LGA; and several other interventions including the deployment of digital Nigeria Centre at Uhomora Secondary Commercial School in Owan West LGA, FGN STEM programme at Holy Trinity Grammar School, Sabongida Ora and St James Government Secondary School, Afuze-Emai etc.
7. As the Commissioner for Environment and Public Utilities during the purposeful, visionary, innovative and far-sighted administration of Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole CON, mni, Prince Clem Agba powered the efforts to save Auchi community from extinction through the massive erosion and flood control projects that reclaimed thousands of hectares of land hitherto lost to erosion gullies devastation, and leaving behind kilometres of asphalted roads and concrete drains, culverts and outfall structures that today make Auchi the pride of all. Other projects worthy of mention include:
i. The supervision of the Design and securing of a World Bank approval for funding the current Construction work on the Igbe Flood and Erosion Control.
ii. Facilitation of the citing of a 50-hectare refugee camp inclusive of a primary school in Auchi.
iii. Facilitation of the construction of Auchi Dam- a dam that will provide potable water for over 600,000 persons and water for irrigation and aquaculture.
iv. Facilitation of the construction of three internal roads (Arafat Mosque Road, Paulosa Road extension, and Uchi Market Road) and the rehabilitation of the Idanirace Erosion gullies.
v. Facilitation of the provision of boreholes in a number of communities of Auchi Sacred Kingdom.
vi. Sourcing of funding, collaboration and joint supervision of the construction of the Auchi Polytechnic-Afashio dual carriage road with walkways and streetlights.
8. Your Excellencies, Royal Highnesses, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, Prince Clem Agba’s initiatives in erosion control and environmental sustainability is legendary as apart from helping to find solution to the erosion problem in Auchi, he also played a pivotal role in finding the solution to Edo State’s flood and erosion challenge which had been a major problem for over 30 years after the last major stormwater project was done in 1979. This was in addition to the evacuation of the notorious Costain Isonorho dumpsite in just five days; a problem that overwhelmed about five governments (both military and civilian) for over two decades.
Indeed, Prince Clem Agba has proved that life is only valuable to the extent of the value that one brings to bear on it. He has chosen to make his days count rather than count the days of his public service.
9. Always ready to take up more responsibilities in the national interest, Prince Clem Agba is the co-chair of GRID3 Nigeria Project, which works across all states in Nigeria to collect accurate, complete and geo-spatially-referenced data, relevant to a variety of sectors. He is also the State Actor Co-Chair of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) in Nigeria, among several other assignments by the Presidency. In furtherance of President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s determination to entrench transparency in Nigeria, Prince Clem Agba directed the Nigeria OGP Secretariat to prepare and submit Nigeria’s entry for the 2021 OGP Impact Award to showcase Nigeria’s efforts to entrench transparency in the extractive industry and on the larger scale of the corporate space, with the establishment of a public register of beneficial owners of corporate entities. Consequent upon the above, the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Global Support Unit announced Nigeria as the winner of the 2021 OGP Impact Award for Africa and Middle East Region for Nigeria’s implementation of the Beneficial Ownership Transparency (B.O.T.) in the Extractive sector by the Nigeria Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and broader Beneficial Ownership Transparency by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in the OGP National Action Plan (NAP), whose implementation is coordinated by Prince Clem Ikanade Agba as Co-Chair of the Open Government Partnership State actors.
10. Together with his hard work and collaboration with other members of FEC, ably led by Their Excellencies, the President and the Vice President, the measures and incentives put in place have ensured that both health and economic data have continued to be on the positive trajectory after the impact of COVID-19 pandemic. Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 5.01% (year-on-year) in real terms in the 2nd quarter and 4.03% in the 3rd quarter of 2021. The Q2 and Q3 2021 growth rates were higher than the -6.10% decline recorded in Q2 2020 and the 0.51% growth recorded in Q1 2021 year-on-year, indicating the return of business and economic activity near levels seen prior to the nationwide implementation of COVID-19-related restrictions.
11. Prince Clem Agba is not an accident of history but a product of a long period of personal development, capacity building, professionalism, industry and rectitude. While at Chevron Nigeria Limited, his unremitting quest for professional excellence blossomed such that in 1996 he was seconded to the Chevron Oil Corporation in Houston in the United States of America to deliver his expertise in Shipping. Ten years later, in 2006, he was again called upon to deliver on another assignment in Kazakhstan, where he was seconded to Chevroil Tengiz to run a massive logistic chain, having under his superintendence over 1,600 people. Characteristic of this upwardly mobile technocrat who always has his eyes on the ball, he delivered a top-class performance. He was also a member of the Supply Chain Leadership Team, having been designated as Head of its Transport and Travel Department. We are therefore not surprised that he is giving a good account of himself in the transformative administration of President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR.
12. Back in his community, Prince Clem Agba’s philanthropy is legendary. He has a heart of gold that is constantly gravitating towards charitable works- ranging from theprovision of electricity, healthcare facilities (clinics and maternities), water projects, schools’ rehabilitation, other infrastructure amenities and scholarship awards to indigent but well-deserving students. When in 2012, floods devastated some communities in Etsako East and Etsako Central Local Government Areas of Edo State, he spent considerable personal resources on the provision of relief materials to them. His unquenchable desire to express love to the underprivileged in the society also led to the establishment of The Clem Agba Foundation (TCAF). The Foundation is a vehicle for philanthropic activities with primary focus on Hepatitis and has been involved in the education, enlightenment, screening and vaccination of at-risk individuals. Several programmes of the foundation have taken place around the country with the very first intervention held in Auchi in 2014 with HRH Alhaji H. A. Momoh, Ikelebe III, The Otaru of Auchi Scared Kingdom as the Special guest of Honour. As at today, over 5,000 people have benefitted from the foundation activities around the country. All these are done at his personal expense.
13. Prince Clem Agba has received several awards and honours that are all very well-deserved, including the one to be conferred here today. Most significant of these was his admittance and induction into the Advisory Board of the Eternal Sacred Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church, the highest decision-making body of the Church, on December 4, 2013; National Award of Excellence in Leadership as the most outstanding Commissioner for Environment in Nigeria; Save-the-Ozone Award of Excellence in Environmental Management; Diversity Ambassador of Chevron Nigeria Ltd., including other such recognitions. As a man loved by his people, he has also been given awards by the Uneme National Development Union, Uzanu Progressive Union, Auchi Allied Association, Pyramid Club, Auchi Polytechnic Alumni Association, the Student’s Union Government of the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi, amongstmany other community and leadership-based organizations. Significantly, in December 2021, the Edo Legacy Foundation bestowed on Prince Clem Agba an Excellence Gold Award as the 2021 Most Outstanding Edo man.
14. As a Prince of Uneme-Uzanu, Clem Agba has also been honoured as the Ofevwosi of Uneme Land for his numerous philanthropic projects in his immediate community. In December, 2021, Iviukhua, Agiere,and Ivhioghe communities also honoured him for facilitating the asphalting of the long-forgotten community roads and other projects in their communities and the entire Afenmai land thus drying up the age-long tears of the people.
15. Prince Clem Agba is a Professional Fellow of the Institute of Corporate Administration; Fellow, Nigerian Environmental Society; Fellow, Institute of Professional Managers and Administrators of Nigeria (IPMAN) amongst others.
16. Your Excellencies, Royal Highnesses, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, Prince Clem Agba’s philosophy finds anchorage in the saying of the English author, George Bank (1821-1881) who, when asked, “What do you live for?” replied, “For the cause that lacks assistance; for the wrong that needs resistance; for the future in the distance and; for the good that I can do.”
17. Prince Clem Agba continues to consistently show the characteristics of a man who loves his wife and family. His sagacity and success is linked to his happy union to the beautiful, dutiful and hard-working Princess Catherine, a scion of the famous Gaius-Obaseki’s family of Benin City. This union is blessed with four young men (who, in their own rights, have started making impactful contributions to society) and two grandchildren with more coming.
18. Indeed, the lives of great men do remind us that we can make our lives sublime. So, it is with Prince Clem Agba, a technocrat and public officer par excellence, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba was born on March 28, 1964 to the family of His Royal Highness, Pius Kadiri Ikanade Agba – the Oliola of Uzanu – in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State. He started his primary education at St Vincent Primary School, Auchi, where he is today being conferred with the customary title of THE ODUMA (THE LION), after which he proceeded to St John’s Grammar School, Fugar. He attended Advanced College, Igueben, where he obtained the Higher School Certificate (HSC) and thereafter, headed to the then Bendel State University, now Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, from where he graduated with a B.Sc. Economics degree in 1985. He also possesses two Master’s Degrees- the first from the University of Benin in Business Administration with specialization in Management; and, the second from the Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA, with specialization in Supply Chain Management.
19. Your Royal Highness, the Otaru of Auchi Sacred Kingdom; like one inspired, you have not only chosen a worthy son for recognition today, but also a Prince Clem Agba who never leaves anyone in doubt of his strong ties to this kingdom. You have also chosen the title of The Oduma for him, one that is most fitting for his untiring efforts in the infrastructurural and other developmental strides of Auchi Sacred Kingdom and Afenmai land.
20. Your Excellencies, Royal Highnesses, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, it is now my honour and privilege to respectfully present Prince Clem Ikanade Agba, Ofevwosi of Uneme, Minister of State for Budget and National Planning to be conferred with the customary title of THE ODUMA OF AUCHI SACRED KINGDOM by HRH, Alhaji A. H. Momoh, Ikelebe III, The Otaru of Auchi Sacred Kingdom.
Zaaki.