The Senate has confirmed the former Nigeria Ambassador to Spain, Bianca Odinaka Odumegwu-Ojukwu and six other Ministerial nominees forwarded to it by President BolaTinubu as Ministers.
Also screened and confirmed along side Bianca Ojukwu who has been assigned the portfolio of Minister of State, Foreign Affairs were Dr Nentawe Yilwatda, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction and Muhammadu Dingyadi, Minister of Labour and Employment.
Others were Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, Minister of Industry, Trade and Development, Idi Maiha, Ministerihhu of Livestock Development, Yusuf Ata, Minister of State, Housing and Dr Suwaiba Ahmad, Minister of State for Education.
The nominees were confirmed after hours of screening during the Senate plenary yesterday.
Earlier and to pave way for the screening, the Senate suspended all the items in yesterday's Order Paper to begin the screening of the nominees.
The process to begin the screening came up at 12. 55 following a motion by the Senate leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, APC, Ekiti Central and seconded by the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro, PDP, Benue South.
The Senate resolved to the Committee of the Whole at 1.04, just as the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio has started calling the names, starting with Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda.
Akpabio asked Yilwarda to come up the acknowledged copy of his Assets declaration and the nominee started addressing the Senators at 1.08pm and the entire process ended at past 5pm.
However, some of them who had served the country in different capacities in the past, and were confirmed by the Senate, were simply asked to introduce themselves and take a bow and go.
In her presentation, Bianca Ojukwu who was the third nominee to be screened from 1.59 to 2.36, lamented the state of the country's embassies abroad, just as she said that poor funding had put the embassies and High Commissions in “deplorable conditions that do not represent Nigeria's standing in the comity of nations.”
"It is imperative to renovate the buildings and make the surrounding suitable for lawmakers to use when you come to these countries, and to interface with foreign partners".
Mrs Ojukwu who emphasized that Nigeria’s potential is boundless if its citizens come together with a commitment to peace, said, "I am here because I believe that if we are able to come together sincerely to commit to serving this nation, focusing on ensuring that we have peace, then the sky is the limit for this country."
Drawing from her rich experience, Ojukwu who highlighted the importance of diplomatic and cultural engagement as key to national growth, said that during her tenure as ambassador, she represented Nigeria on various international platforms, notably building a bridge between Nigeria and Spain.
Explaining further she said her work earned her the prestigious title of Africa’s Most Outstanding Ambassador—a testament to her dedication and exemplary service abroad, just as she explained that she also played a vital role on the home front, serving as Secretary of the Truth, Justice, and Peace Commission in Anambra State.
This commission was tasked with addressing the underlying issues of insecurity in southeastern Nigeria, demonstrating her deep commitment to fostering peace and justice at all levels.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s path forward, she noted that the combined efforts of cultural, governmental, and diplomatic organizations could drive transformative change. “There is hope for this country,” she added. “If we sincerely commit to unity and focus on peace, Nigeria’s potential is limitless.”
Senators who spoke during the exercise, commended Tinubu for bringing in nominees in spite of party affiliations.
The nomination, according to Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, APGA, Abia South highlighted the administration's focus on the unity of the country, adding, “The President must be commended for nominating someone across party lines, even someone from APGA, and the wife of my former party leader, late Chief Odumegu Ojukwu.
"By this, the President has started a unity government and the process of national integration".
On his part, Senator Victor Umeh, LP-Anambra Central described her nomination as a healing process for the country.
In her remarks during the screening, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole who was the sixth nominee to be screened, outlined her vision to revitalize Nigeria’s economy through focused investment, productivity, and job creation, just as she highlighted the administration’s recent reforms aimed at stabilizing the economy and underscored the need for greater alignment of monetary, fiscal, trade, and industrial policies to promote sustainable growth.
“Since the commencement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, key reforms in monetary and fiscal policy aimed at stabilizing the economy have started to deliver some results,” Oduwole said. “In terms of inflation, it's beginning to decline, and tax reforms are ongoing. What we need now is a convergence of these pillars with our trade and investment policies to further drive growth.”
Oduwole addressed Nigeria’s concerning decline in foreign direct investment (FDI), noting that FDI dropped by about 86% over the past five years, with roughly 20 multinational companies either exiting or scaling back operations. “If confirmed, I would focus on three priority areas: investment retention and attraction, boosting exports and foreign exchange earnings, and creating productive jobs through a vibrant domestic industry,” she told the Senate. She highlighted a recent $3 billion commitment from Jindal Steel Africa to Nigeria’s steel sector as evidence of the positive impact of the administration’s economic reforms.
Speaking on the need to foster youth employment and exports, Oduwole came up withinitiatives supporting IT service exports through companies like Outsource Global, saying, “They’re exporting IT services while young Nigerians work at home, earning foreign exchange without needing to emigrate,” she said. “This proves that Nigeria can be a global hub for service exports, and it’s one of the areas I would prioritize.”
Oduwole who stressed the importance of a coordinated approach to boost competitiveness, said, “One of the most important things is the collaboration and coordination of ministries, departments, agencies, regulators, and infrastructure to improve energy supply, which is vital for our productivity and competitiveness,” she explained. She cited her track record of collaboration, including with the 8th National Assembly on the Collateral Bill, which helped secure loans for small businesses by establishing a nationwide collateral registry.
On the role of Nigeria’s free trade zones and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Oduwole who stressed the potential for localized production and high-quality exports, said, “Nigeria has 55 licensed free trade zones contributing to the GDP, and with better support, these zones could create significant jobs,” she noted. “We need to deepen our exports, especially with the current foreign exchange rate, which has made Nigerian goods more competitive globally. Now is the time for Nigerians to buy local, which will further stimulate our domestic industries.”
Addressing the regulatory challenges facing Nigerian exports, she mentioned the upcoming EU Deforestation Regulation, which mandates that commodities must not contribute to deforestation. “This impacts critical exports like cocoa and palm oil,” Oduwole said. “Without compliance, Nigerian exporters could face severe restrictions, especially in the EU market. This regulation takes effect at the end of 2024, so we must act swiftly to align with these global standards and keep our products in high demand internationally.”
Highlighting additional strides towards ease of doing business, citing recent reforms such as the Nigerian Customs Service's Authorized Economic Operator Program and the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council’s efforts, she said, “This council has focused on transparency, efficiency, and regulatory reforms over the past eight years, achieving a 70% reduction in business regulation times and an increase in formal MSME registrations,” Oduwole said. “These reforms, like visa-on-arrival, have already opened doors for international business, and it’s crucial that we keep streamlining processes to make Nigeria a competitive business hub.”
Oduwole gave the Senators a commitment that she would put in place to deepen Nigeria’s economic reforms and fostering high-value jobs that meet global standards, adfing, “We need jobs that are not just numerous but also productive and income-generating,” she said. “By enhancing regulatory processes and aligning with international standards, we can integrate Nigeria into global value chains and strengthen our role in the $3.4 trillion African market.”
The Minister - Designate for the newly created Ministry of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha from Adamawa state who the fifth to be screened was charged to bring about modern ways livestock business and development in Nigeria .
In his presentation, Maiha who noted that the problem of farmers /herders Clashes , would be solved by making the 417 grazing areas across the country functional, said, "The 417 grazing areas in the country, would be made to be practically suitable livestock business by ensuring that they have sufficient grass and water to contain those animals.
" In this way, we will require the support and solidarity of the National Assembly, the state governors, the local government, and the communities", he said .
The Senate on its part advised him to look beyond the 417 grazing areas for way out of the incessant crises between farmers and herders, just as the President of the Senate , Godswill Akpabio and Senator Muntari Dandutse, APC, Katsina South specifically urged him to domesticate modernized ways of livestock development being practiced in China , Netherlands , Singapore etc .
In his remarks after confirmation of appointments of the Minister, Akpabio urged all of them to uplift the country with their appointments .
No comments:
Post a Comment