Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has approved the appointment of 4,800 Special Assistants as part of efforts to deepen grassroots governance and extend the administration’s presence across the state’s 192 wards.
The appointments come amid a broader push by the governor’s administration to strengthen its grassroots structure and improve communication between government and communities across Edo State.
Reports on the development said the Special Assistants are expected to play roles in grassroots mobilisation and government engagement across the wards.
The scale of the appointments, however, is likely to attract public attention as Nigerians continue to debate the cost and size of government appointments at both federal and state levels.
The development also carries a clear political dimension, with reports linking the appointments to efforts to strengthen the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the grassroots.
The governor’s administration has maintained that effective governance requires government structures to reach communities beyond the state capital.
The latest appointments therefore place renewed focus on how Edo balances grassroots representation, political mobilisation and concerns about the cost of governance.