Tobias Sylvester
The Nigerian Senate has screened and confirmed all the seven persons nominated by President Muhammadu Buhari for ministerial positions.
Buhari Ministerial Nominees
KanyiDaily recalls that Buhari had nominated the ministers to replace Ogbonnaya Onu, Rotimi Amaechi, Emeka Nwajiuba, Godswill Akpabio, and Okechukwu Ogar, who all resigned from FEC to pursue their presidential ambitions for the 2023 elections.
On Wednesday, June 29, the upper legislative chamber confirmed the nominees after they were screened by the “committee of the whole” chaired by Senate President Ahmad Lawan.
The ministers confirmed on Wednesday are Henry Ikoh (Abia), Umana Okon Umana (Akwa Ibom), Ekuma Joseph (Ebonyi), Goodluck Nana Obia (Imo), Umar Ibrahim Yakub (Kano), Ademola Adewole Adegorioye (Ondo), and Odo Udi (Rivers).
During the screening, Ikoh promised to contribute to the development of the nation’s economy, if confirmed, given his background in the private sector as an industrialist.
On how jobs could be created for the teeming unemployed youths, Ikoh re-emphasized the need for the establishment of modular refineries, to refine the nation’s crude oil locally. This, he said, would help create more jobs and ultimately grow the economy further.
Ikoh also advocated the deepening of partnership between the Federal Government and the private sector, to create more industries. This, he said, would also result in the creation of jobs.
He said there was a need to ensure that graduates of tertiary institutions possess technical knowledge that would enable them to become Job creators, especially in the local communities.
Responding to questions on how to improve the revenue and foreign exchange earnings to Nigeria, Umana said the free trade zone was a veritable platform to improve the nation’s revenue earnings.
He advised that efforts should be made to improve Nigeria’s production sector for export, which would enable the inflows of foreign exchange.
The nominee from Ebonyi, when asked how he could contribute to youth development, given his youthful age, said there was need to ensure a national re-orientation for the youths, on get-rich-quick mentality.
According to the 46-year-old nominee, the youths should be encouraged and enabled to seek the numerous opportunities in the country, instead of focusing on government jobs.
On the ASUU strike, he said there was need for the Federal Government and ASUU to come to the round table, and reach a compromise on workable terms of resolving the strike. He also said there was need to provide more budgetary allocation to the education sector.
President of the Senate, in his remarks after the screening and confirmation, congratulated the ministerial designates on their confirmation by the Senate.
Senate thereafter adjourned shortly for a tea break to return to the plenary to pass the votes and proceedings.
Meanwhile, the Senate has confirmed the appointment of Senator Philip Tenimu Aduda as the new Minority Leader, while Senator Chukwuka Utazi was named the Senate Minority Whip.
