23rd May, 2023
By Kingsley Okoye
The Senate has confirmed the appointment of Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) for a second term.
This followed the adoption of the report of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs at plenary on Tuesday.
Presenting the report, the Committee’s Chairman, Sen. Nanchi Michael said Dabiri-Erew possessed the technical and academic qualifications to function optimally and effectively in the position.
He said there was no petition against her, adding that the nominee sponsored the Bill for the establishment of NIDCOM, when she was a member of the House of Representatives.
He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the re-appointment, given her steering performance in her first term of office.
Similarly, the Senate also confirmed the appointment of three nominees for appointment as board members of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
This followed the adoption of a report of the Senate committee on NDDC by the Chairman, Sen. Amos Bulus.
The nominees were Benard Okwmagba (Delta),Patric Aisowieren(Edo) and Kyrian Uchegbu (Imo).
The Senate also confirmed the appointment of Mrs Funke Opeke as member of Universal Service Provision (USP) Board after adoption of the report of the Senate Committee on Communications.
Earlier, the Senate passed six bills for first reading.
They included the Federal University of Agriculture Technology Damboa, Borno establishment bill, 2023 sponsored by Sen. Gobir Abdullahi (APC-Sokoto).
Other were the Federal College of Nursing and Midwifery, Ado Ekiti,Ekiti State establishment bill, 2023 and Federal Medical Center Act amendment bill ,2023.
The rest were the Industrial Inspectorate Act Amendment Bill, 2023, the Compulsory Inclusion of Digital Technology in the curriculum of secondary and Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria bill, 2023 and the Prohibition of Secret Recruitment in the Federal Civil Service bill, 2023.