Today's Senate Ministerial Screening; All You Need To Know

The Nigerian Senate has commenced the screening of ministerial nominees.

First to be screened is Senator Udo Udoma . Addressing the Senate, Udo Udoma says, ''I am indeed surprised at President's Buhari's Nomination of my person'

'I am ready to hit the ground running'

Senator Udoma speaks of his track record. He says, ''We cannot turn this economy around if we rely solely on public sector; we have to focus on the private sector''.

Having answered several questions, Distinguished Senators asks its former Chief Whip, Senator Udoma to take the bow.


Kayode Fayemi:

12: 12 - 
Fayemi is ushered in. Senate President, Bukola Saraki asks Fayemi to make his introductions and speak on the sector he would love to serve the Nation.

Fayemi says 'I am happy we now have a democracy with democrats. I am delighted to be in front of this Senate

He reels out his achievement. Says, ''I used to run what was known as an underground radio during the Abacha era, Radio Kudirat and Radio Freedom''

Senate Whip Adeyeye tells Fayemi, 'You left heavy financial burden on Ekiti and spent unspecified amount of money of govt house'.

Senator Uba asks, 'How would you rescue the education sector and where do you think Nigeria belongs as regards foreign policy'.

Speaking on the debt, Fayemi says, 'About the debt in Ekiti, i'll like to say governance is a continuum, I met obligations in excess of 30BN . 'Road network in Ekiti and other infrastructures significantly improved while I was Governor'

'Ekiti State couldn't have done better as it has done now. I did not borrow to pay Salaries, I borrowed for Capital Projects'.

'Ekiti never had a Govt House, anyone who had a chance to visit knew I was in a 2-bedroom apartment where I couldn't hold a meeting.Ekiti Govt House is the cheapest in Nigeria. I did not buy a N50m bed, I spent only N2.5bn on the Govt House. '

''I did it for Ekiti State & not for myself''.

'Every state borrows, even the United State we look up to is the most indebted country in the world '

Fayemi responds to Senator Uba's concern on the Educational Sector. He says, 'We have not been able to do well in the Technical and Vocational part of our Educational Sector'.

'We have a problem of enrolment. We need to do something about our Curriculum and Teacher Quality'

'We need to do something about our educational quality and quality of our teachers. We need to make our Public Schools attractive and all this boils down to enrollment''.

On Foreign policy, Fayemi tells the Senate, 'On Foreign Policy; right now our domestic agenda does not really drive our Foreign Policy. Buhari is doing a lot on Foreign Policy, recognising that our neighbours are our first call of interest'.

'We must balance our interest btw the West and the BRICS Countries'.

'Alternation of Power is the best way to deepen democracy; Not perpetuation of Power'.

''Poverty is not inevitable, we have a lot of countries like China that has lifted it's people from poverty. Poverty is the problem between the mindlessly rich and hopelessly poor'.

See photo of Fayemi Addressing the Senate :

 

On unemployment, Fayemi said, ''we had a youth empowerment scheme that paid graduates 10,000Naira every month''.

'Majority of our graduates have education but do not have work place skills and they need that. 'We provided computers in schools for our students to be able to acquire and develop work place skills'

'Our security needs to address our Criminal Justice System, people don't get punished for crime'

'On Internal Security; Our prisons have been saturated with people who do not have access to justice'

12:58 - Fayemi is asked to take a bow after Akpabio caused a stir by saying Fayemi ousted a PDP govt in Ekiti.

12:59 - Audu Ogbeh is ushered into the senate chambers

After introducing himself, Ogbeh says, 'I am here because the President of my Country has deemed it fit for me to serve in his cabinet'

Sen Bwacha just asked Audu Ogbeh if he was asked to resign as national chairman of PDP at gun point.

What can we do to have a stable political system where there are no reckless defections? Sen John Manager asks Ogbeh

Ogbeh speaks: 'Since I left Government in 1983 I have been in School; the School of life learning about Agriculture.

'Every Local Government in Nigeria must have an extension office to teach people how to farm'

'A cow in Nigeria gives one litre of milk a day but in Zimbabwe its 15 litres and 18 litres'

'Nigeria's interest rates is the highest in the world. How can you do business and make money. Except you're into cocaine or some very harmful drugs, you can't make profit with Nigeria's high interest rate'

'People accuse senators of having huge salaries, they don't know the kind of pressure you go through'

'The pressure on Senators from people demanding money is caused by poverty'

13: 18 - Ogbeh's screening just ended

13: 20 - Dr. Christopher Ogbonnaya Onu is ushered in

Senator Anyanwu asks Dr Onu: Do you think the non-inclusion of youths on #TheList is in order?

See photo of Onu in Senate Chambers: 
onu screened.jpg 

Onu speaks: 'We have abundance of coal in some parts of the country, we need to use coal for power generation'.

'We need to diversify power generation in Nigeria'

'Renewable energy is important, either directly or indirectly as it is done in Brazil'

'On unemployment; there is no way we can solve the problem of unemployment until we increase our production'

'We should not be afraid of the problems facing us now, but rather be happy that these problems can be solved'

13:36 - Onu is asked to take a bow

13: 43 - Dr. Osagie Ehanire is ushered in for his screening.

Addressing the Senate Dr Osagie says, ''I can do more for my country than help broken bones"

''The health sector is not doing well and this has led to lack of confidence''.

''There is a need for the revamp of the Health Sector to meet International Standards. We need to do more about getting Equipments. The Corruption in the Health Sector has to be stamped out.

'We lack a system of proper management in our hospitals'

'We need to ensure that orientation is given so patients can be treated with respect and dignity'

'The respect patients get from Private Hospitals should also be gotten in Public Hospitals'


'We need to sit down and design our own models that will work for us instead of copying that of others'

'They should be a proper communication system between the Government and young doctors'

'These doctors need to understand the problems being faced by the country'

'Availability of equipment, trained staff & affordability of the service are the problems of health care'

Dr. Osagie Ehanire is asked to take the bow as he is confirmed for appointment.

The Next Nominee for the #MinisterialScreening is Lt. General Abdulrahman Dambazzau. 
Dambazau says hobbies include listening to "Soft English Music and Traditional Hausa Music". He has he has 10 Children, 7 Grandchildren.

See photo of Dambazzau undergoing screening :

ab.jpg 


nigerian senate.jpg 

Speaking on Nigeria's Defence Policy, Dambazzau says it's what shapes the Army's "Order of Battle."

'Current N1,000 allowance for soldiers is low and it should be reviewed in due course of time'.

Lt. General Dambazau speaks on the issue of Herdsmen and Farmers in the Country. He says the Fulani herdsmen issue is actually a West African matter. 'Grazing crises actually not a religious issue, but resource-based (land scarcity)issue that sometimes takes on religious colouration'.

''Despite our challenges the military is still attractive; we always have large turn-out during recruitment'

15: 29 - Dambazau asked to take a bow

15: 30 - Lai Mohammed ushered in for his screening

Saraki asks the nominee Lai Raufu Mohammed to introduce himself as shouts of 'Bow and Go' fill the air.

Senate Leader Ndume moves that Lai Mohammed bows and go but Saraki asks that Senators allow him speak.

Lai Mohammed speaks 'I might have ruffled a few feathers in the course of my duties, it wasn't personal.'

Lai Mohammed says he thinks 4 years will be too short for the PDP to get used to opposition. They'll need to spend more time

'I believe four years is too small to stay in opposition, they might have to stay longer'

I have been in opposition for 10 years and thoroughly enjoyed it. But I'm sure it's better and more comfortable being in government."

Lai Mohammed to the PDP: we will not be as harsh to you as you were to us when we were in the Opposition

Sen. Akpabio addresses Lai Mohammed, "We must maintain decorum. This is the Senate, not a House of Assembly. If I know [Lai Mohammed] very well, he may have one or two propaganda to drop before he leaves here''.

Senate President Saraki asks Lai Mohammed to speak a few more words before he bows and go.

Lai Mohammed says, 'My mission/vision if confirm minister is; i'll be passionate committed & patriotic as I was when I was in government'

15: 47 - Amina Mohammed ushered in

Amina Mohammed acknowledges Senators from Gombe State as she introduces herself to The Senate.

Amina speaks, 'On the Stock Market, we need partnerships to develop this country and grow domestic relationships'

'Corruption is outcome of poor institutional structures and lack of capacity'

'Accountability around the world is what people are asking for'

16: 07 - Amina asked to bow and go

16:08 - Engr. Suleiman Hussaini Adamu from Jigawa ushered in

Engineer Sullivan Adamu speaks on his rich heritage and antecedents in his public and private sectors.

Adamu speaks, 'On employment; I think the APC manifesto has been clear that they will be massive creation of employment'

'On the cardinal policies of the APC manifesto, skills acquisition/training for graduates should be considered'

'We need to really go into Public-Private partnership to attract investors from outside'

'As a professional, the biggest calamity for me is to have an uncompleted project'

'If confirmed minister, my priority will be to look at all the uncompleted projects and complete them'

16:50 - Adamu asked to take a bow and leave

16:52 - Senate commence Screening of final nominee for today,Mr. Ibrahim Usman Jibril

Speaking on Land allocation in Abuja: ''In the past 30years there have been policy inconsistencies. Unless issues of resettlement are properly addressed there will continue to be half-hazard allocations.

17:12 - Senate President Saraki asks the nominee Ibrahim #Jibril to take a bow and go.

Comments