Lois Otse Adams
The president, through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, felicitated with the Honourable Minister of State for Finance, Budget, and National Planning, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba, on his birthday. The president also praised the minister for his service to his indigenous people and country.
Prior to his appointment as a Minister, the Edo-born Prince served under the administration of His Excellency Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as a two-term commissioner of Environment and Public Utilities, and Lands, Survey and Housing in Edo State where he left behind an enviable footprint that meets global standards by inaugurating the Edo Geographic Information Services (EGIS).
As a member of the Federal Executive Council, he supervised and presented to the National Assembly, National Action Plan. Under his leadership, he evaluated the Monitoring and Evaluation procedures to ensure satisfactory results that align with the President’s Agenda 2050 goals.
In Edo State, the Minister is revered as a true son of the soil who made sure that his people enjoy good dividends of democratic leadership by example. The recent reconstruction of the Ekwosor-Ivuhukwe Road in Edo State, which has been a death trap for travelers for decades, further made him one of the state’s noble sons.
Prince would go on to build standard markets, accessible rural roads, provide electricity transformers, sports facilities and mini stadia, create easy access to clean pipe-borne water, and ensure that the people have access to good healthcare facilities.
Prince is a man who has touched his generation through agriculture. An ardent farmer, he has spurred many players in the private sector to invest their resources into farming to ensure a robust feeding of the nation by surplus farm produce instead of scarcity. His partnership role with David Stevenson, the Director of the World Food Programme, created an avenue where food security and availability are ensured.
Erosion is one of the many natural disasters that bedevil Southern Nigeria and accounts for the collapse of residential buildings, causing fatalities in some cases. His Excellency and Prince, as a Commissioner, played a major role in administering policies and guidelines to combat floods and erosion in Edo State. His utter disdain for environmental pollution saw to the clearing of Costain Isonorho dumpsite, a feat that previous state governors in the state never achieved.
He is a goal-getter. Under his watch, Edo State Forestry nursery recorded a more than 300 percent increase in trees to combat climate change and enhance biodiversity.
The prince has also been praised for his leadership style. As transparent, accountable, and honest personified, he is also known to be a workaholic. His dedication to work and his efficiency in effective deliverables have placed him inarguably as one of the best ministers who encourages global best practices in all his works. These exertions are not farfetched, looking at his leadership role as the Chairman of Open Government Partnership (OGP) and Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) National Steering Committees.
Prince Clem Ikanade Agba was born on March 28, 1964, to the royal family of His Royal Highness, Puis Kadiri Ikanade Agba, the Oliola of Uzanu in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State.
As a husband and father, his commitment to his family is admirable. He is known to be a family man who reveres the institution of matrimony.
A philanthropist and a beacon of hope to the less privileged in society, this man of inextinguishable valor through his foundation, The Clem Agba Foundation (TCAF), in memory of his dear mother, has wiped the tears of the subjugated and have-nots, allowing recipients of his goodwill to survive and flourish.
He retired from the private sector in the oil industry at Chevron Nigeria Limited to join public service and politics.
Happy Birthday, once again, His Excellency.
