New Telegraph

Senate confirms Buhari’s seven ministerial nominees

The Senate, Wednesday, screened and confirmed the seven ministerial nominees forwarded to it by President Muhammadu Buhari, last week.

The apex legislative chamber engaged the nominees for four and a half hours. They were nominated to replace the ministers that recently resigned to contest for the just concluded presidential primary of the ruling party.

Those screened and confirmed as minister-designates include Henry Ikechukwu Ikoh (Abia), Umana Okon Umana (Akwa-Ibom), and Ekumankama Joseph Nkama (Ebonyi).

Others are Goodluck Nana Opiah (Imo), Umar Ibrahim El-Yakub (Kano), Ademola Adewole Adegoroye (Ondo) and Udi Odum (Rivers).

Responding to questions from Senators, the first nominee, Ikechukwu Ikoh, said that in tackling the issue of job creation, efforts must be made to grant operational licenses to operators of modular refineries in the country.

Also fielding questions from the parliamentarians, the nominee from Akwa-Ibom State, Umana Okon Umana, who is the Managing Director of the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority, stressed the need for Nigeria to step-up its production capacity so as to boost foreign exchange earnings and reduce the country’s reliance on importation.

Ekumankama Joseph Nkama, on his part, enjoined young Nigerians to tap into new areas of investment, so as to foster self-reliance and productivity, particularly in the country’s trade sector.

On the lingering strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Nkama called on the Federal Government and ASUU to reach a compromise.

He also asked the National Assembly to provide additional funding for the educational sector, so as to meet some of the needs of the union.

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