Don commends Buhari’s choice of Ocheni as ministerial nominee

Dr Usman Ogbo, has praised the effort President Muhammadu Buhari for selecting Prof. Stephen Ikani Ocheni as a ministerial nominee representing Kogi State.

Ogbo, who is a Senior Lecturer at the Political Science Department Kogi State University Anyigba, said this in a statement on behalf of the academic community on Tuesday in Abuja.

He also praised Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello for ensuring the nomination of Ochen whom he described as  “ an erudite scholar and experienced public finance administrator”.

According to Ogbo, the appointment of Ocheni will serve as a uniting factor for both ethnic and religious diversities in Kogi considering his track record in public service and the academic community.

Ogbo described Ocheni as “a man with a voracious appetite for knowledge, thoroughness and professional who took his quest beyond the shores of Nigeria to embark on series of professional training in the U. S. and the UK.

“These endeavours fetched him a certificate in “Strategies for Home ownership”, from Howard University Washington DC, U.S., certificate in Internal Auditing with Computer Application from Worthing, West Sussex U.K., and certificate in Project Financing and Sustainability, U.S.

“His commitment to financial management, fiscal discipline and leadership responsibilities has taken him to the zenith of reputable professional bodies in the country.

“To this end, he has been a Fellow, Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (FCNA), Fellow, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (FCTI), Fellow, Chartered Institute of Local Government and Public Administration (FCPA) and Fellow, Institute of Chartered Economists of Nigeria (FCE),’’ Ogbo said.

READ: I won’t share Kogi’s resources to few individuals – Gov. Bello

Ogbo also described Ocheni as a thorough professional and technocrat with unblemished records who had served Kogi various capacities as a public office holder between 1992 and 2003.

According to him, Ocheni has also served at the federal level as a Deputy Director, Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Ministry of Foreign Affair between 2003 and 2013.

Ogbo said that Ocheni’s zeal for and commitment to research was demonstrated in the number of books he has written and scholarly articles published in reputable journals.

It will be recalled that President Buhari nominated Ocheni in a letter to the National Assembly to replace the late Minister of State, Labour and Productivity, James Ocholi (SAN), who died alongside his wife and son in a motor accident on Abuja-Kaduna Expressway on March 6, 2016.