Senate confirms appointment of new minister

The Senate on Thursday confirmed the appointment of Bernard Doro as a minister under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

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The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the confirmation after lawmakers cleared the nominee through a voice vote at the Committee of the Whole.

Mr Doro replaces Nentawe Yilwatda, who was recently appointed as the chairperson of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Mr Yilwatda, a professor, previously served as minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty reduction.

Although no portfolio was attached to the president’s request for Mr Doro’s screening and confirmation, the only vacant position at present is the minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty reduction.

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On 22 October, Mr Akpabio read a presidential correspondence requesting the Senate to screen and confirm the nominee. The request was thereafter referred to the Committee of the Whole.

The screening

The screening, which lasted about 30 minutes, focused on the nominee’s plans should he be posted to the humanitarian ministry, his record of past achievements, and his willingness to submit himself for investigation when necessary.

Mr Doro was accompanied to the Senate chamber by his wife, Naomi, the ruling party national chairman, Mr Yilwatda, and top political figures from Plateau State.

He was not extensively questioned, as some lawmakers asked that he be allowed to take a bow and leave, referencing his qualification and the presence of the APC national chairman who accompanied him. They argued that prolonging the session would unnecessarily delay the party chairman in the Senate chamber.

Jimoh Ibrahim (APC, Ondo South) and Diket Plang (APC, Plateau Central) made the requests, which were unanimously supported by other lawmakers.

Speaking about his background, Mr Doro said he holds certifications in healthcare leadership, management, and law from institutions in the United Kingdom, where he has worked extensively.

He pledged to contribute positively to the Tinubu administration by applying his international experience to policymaking and implementation.

“I intend to contribute my quota to the Renewed Hope Agenda by transferring the different experiences to help in policy crafting and implementation. I should be a voice that’ll impact the country positively,” he said.

Plans for a transparent humanitarian system

Mr Doro said that if assigned to the humanitarian ministry, his priority would be to establish an efficient, transparent, and people-centered humanitarian ecosystem.

“Regarding the security crisis, obviously, there is a consequence. The consequences are what have led to several displacements of individuals and have led to individuals having to relocate and to stay in IDP camps and what have you. So should I be assigned the humanitarian ministry? What I will be looking to do in order to bring some innovation into the ministry will be to create a humanitarian ecosystem that is efficient, that is transparent, and that is centered on the person that is being cared for.

“And this is with a view to bringing dignity to the individual, to ensuring that the needs of this individual are met. And this will be done based on principles that are well established in providing humanitarian action. Things around impartiality, things around independence, things about just being human in our care for people.”

He added that effective collaboration among the agencies under the ministry would help eliminate duplication of functions and improve results.

“And I believe that when we create synergy amongst the different agencies of government, I mean different agencies under the ministry of the humanitarian, then we are able to synergise and ensure that we are able to reduce the duplication and achieve results. And I think one of the main things around that is to be able to target the intended individuals that are affected, which is always a challenge. And I believe that technology can help us to be able to achieve that,” he said.

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Commitment to accountability

Mr Doro assured senators of his readiness to cooperate with the legislature and submit himself for any investigation when required.

“And regarding the Senate’s power to make laws, that is not in doubt. And we will cooperate when the need arises for investigation to make sure that laws are enacted that will better the life of individuals and that will also help in the discharge of the ministry’s core responsibilities,” he added.