The Senate has confirmed President Muhammadu Buhari’s nominations for appointments as Chairman, Director-General and Commissioners of National Pension Commission (PenCom).
The confirmation was sequel to the presentation and consideration of the report of Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service Matters at the Senate Committee of the Whole.
The report was presented by the Vice-Chairman of the Committee, Senator Mpigi Barinada (PDP Rivers).
Barinaga said the committee screened and found the nominees worthy of the appointments.
He, however, said the committee recommended that the nominee from Katsina should be stood down because she was yet to present her National Youth Service Corps certificate to the committee.
The Miniority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, (PDP Abia), before the confirmation of the nominees made a case for the re-visiting of the screening of the nominees.
He noted that the nominee for the position of Director-General of PenCom should have been picked from the South -East region, following the non completion of the tenure of the former director-general who was from the region.
Senators from North East like Ali Ndume (APC Boronu) and Aishatu Dahiru (APC Adamawa), however, argued that it was within the prerogative of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to appoint people into positions based on existing laws.
Following an affirmative voice vote, Senate confirmed the following PenCom nominees: Dr Oyindasola Oni, Chairman (Kwara, North-Central); Aisha Dahir-Umar, Director-General (Adamawa, North- East); Clement Oyedele Akintola as Commissioner (Ondo South-West); Ayim C. Nyerere, Commissioner (Abia, South-East), and Charles Efe Sylvester Emukowhate as Commissioner (Delta South-South).
The nomination of Hanna Musawa, nominee from Katsina (North-West) was stood down by the Senate pending when she presents her NYSC certificate to the committee.
Senate also confirmed Buhari’s nominations for appointments as non-career ambassadors.
The confirmation followed the presentation of a report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and consideration of same at the Senate Committee of the Whole.
The report was presented by the committee’s Chairman, Senator Bulkachuwa Muhammad (APC Bauchi North).
The two ambassadorial nominees confirmed are Ambassador Muhammad Haruna Manta (Niger) and Yusuf Yunusa (Yobe).
Senate also at plenary considered for first reading five bills.
The bills are the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism Establishment Bill, 2020 sponsored by Sen. Abdullahi Yayaya Abubakar (APC Kebbi- North), Information Sector Private Employment Agencies Regulation, 2020 by Senator Musa Mohammed (APC Niger -East).
Others are, Historical Sites Preservation and Protection Bill, 2020 by Sen. Stella Oduah ( PDP Anambra North ) and Institute of Charted Power Engineers of Nigeria Establishment Bill, 2020 by Sen. Suswam Gabriel (PDP Benue North-East).
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