Senate confirms Chairman, DG of PenCom,others

The Senate on Tuesday at plenary confirmed President Muhammadu Buhari’s nominations for appointments as Chairman, Director-General and Commissioners of National Pension Commission(PenCom).

The confirmation followed the presentation and consideration of the report of the 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, Mpigi Barinada (PDP Rivers).

Presenting the report, Mr 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.

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 Borno) and Aishatu Dahiru (APC Adamawa), however, argued that it was within the prerogative of the President to appoint people into positions based on existing laws.

Following an affirmative voice vote, the senate confirmed the nominees. They are 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 until she presents her N Y SC certificate.

The Senate also confirmed President 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 the same at the Senate Committee of the Whole.

The report was presented by the committee’s Chairman Bulkachuwa Muhammad (APC Bauchi North).

The two ambassadorial nominees confirmed are Muhammad Haruna Manta (Niger) and Yusuf Yunusa (Yobe).

The 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 Abdullahi Yayaya Abubakar (APC Kebbi- North ), and the Information Sector Private Employment Agencies Regulation, 2020 by Musa Mohammed (APC Niger -East).

Others are Historical Sites Preservation and Protection Bill, 2020 by Stella Oduah (PDP Anambra North ) and Institute of Charted Power Engineers of Nigeria Establishment Bill, 2020 by Suswam Gabriel (PDP Benue North-East).

(NAN)