Lawan urges 7 minister-designate confirmed by senate to write their names in gold, Platinum

The Senate has screened and confirmed seven ministerial nominees of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Three of the nominees who were former legislators were however given the privilege to take a bow as a mark of honour.
Nominees that enjoyed the privilege were the former Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly, Goodluck Nana Opiah, a nominee from Kano and the former Senior Special Assistance to President Buhari on National Assembly Matters (Reps), Umar Ibrahim El-Yakubu and a nominee from Ondo state, Ademola Adewole Adegoroye who said appearing before the Senate for confirmation as minister has been his life time ambition.
Goodluck Opiah who is also the serving current Commissioner for Petroleum Resources in Imo state, promised to be a worthy ambassador of the legislature and an enhancer of the cordial relationship between the executive and the legislature as a former member
Abia State nominee Ikoh Henry Ikechukwu advised the Federal Government to ensure that modula refineries are cited in oil producing communities adding that it will address issues of unemployment by creating jobs, reducing fuel scarcity among others.
Ikechukwu whose nomination was endorsed by all the three senators from Abia state was also described as a patriotic Nigerian who employed several youths in his private company.
Also Umana Okon Umana from Akwa Ibom state who was among the nominees confirmed was described by senators from his state as a technocrat per excellent who will used his experiences to make impacts for the development of the country.
Umana while responding to questions on how to stop relying too much on forex, he recommended that the government should create enabling environment for massive production of goods and services by the private sector .
The youngest of all the nominees Joseph Ekumankana Nkama from Ebonyi state, a lawyer by profession and aged 46 encouraged youths in the country to venture into areas of investments that are not being tapped while calling on the Federal Government and stakeholders in the education sector to urgently address the ongoing ASUU strike in the interest of the future of Nigerian youths.
Odum Udi from Rivers state was said to have served as local government chairman for five times in Rivers state and his achievements were eulogiesed by various senators across the party line. He was later asked to take a bow and go.

While speaking the nominee said
“I have served three times as caretaker committee chairman of
Abua Odual Local Government and two times elected chairman where I was decorated as best performing local Government chairman by Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency. It will be an honour to serve the country in any capacity.

Senator Thompson Sekibo who spoke on behalf of the three from River State said, the nominee is a member of APC, we are PDP but we are standing with him, thanking the President for nominating him. He has some sterling qualities
“This young man had gotten the challenge at the Local Government level in Rivers State and from one of the complex Local Government areas. “He had been two terms executive chairman of the Local Government council, that means that he is a good performer, he was also three term caretaker committee chairman of the same Local Government.
“All I am saying is wen you bring young men and expose them to challenges you will see the quality in them. Perhaps if we had used him and exposed him to NDDC or other bigger organisation as he performed creditably well we would have also seen excellent performance.
“Ours is to assure you that we trust his capacity, we have confidence in him. He is generally very humble person and very focused when he is given an assignment”
Meanwhile, in his remarks after the confirmation, Senate President Ahmad Lawan congratulated all the ministerial designates and urged them to make their impacts felt in their various ministries.

According to him ” you are expected to work with our committees during oversights because we are working for success of the same government. The fact that you have less than one year to proof your worths, your impact in your respective ministries can be felt for life. So make sure you write your name not only in gold but in platinum”. Lawan said.

The Upper Chamber later adjourned plenary for Sallah break to resume in the next three weeks.