Senate Confirms Wike, Pepple, 4 Others …Rejects Ando

Wife of the Rivers State Governor, Dame Judith Amaechi, exchanging pleasantries with Administrator Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority, Dame Aleruchi Cookey-Gam shortly after making a donation to the ESI Feed a Child Project. Photo: Chris Monyanaga

The senate yesterday confirmed Chief Nyesom Wike and Ms Ama Pepple from Rivers State as ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Also confirmed by the Senate are, Mrs Sarah Ochekpe from Plateau, Mr Edem Duke, Cross River, Mrs Hadiza Mailafa, Kaduna State.

The Upper Legislative Chamber however, rejected the  nomination of Dr Obadiah Ando as minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Dr Ando is from Taraba State

Chief Wike was a former Chief of Staff Government House, Port Harcourt

He has also served as local government chairman in Obio/Akpor Local Government of Rivers State and as former national chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON).

Answering questions on  the floor of the senate before his confirmation, Chief Wike disagreed to the view that local government councils should be scrapped because of alleged corruption.

He rather advocated the strengthening of the local government system in the country to enable it operate as an independent tier of government.

According to him, the present local government councils in the country are not a tier of government, but appendages of  state governments.

Also answering question, the nominee from Cross River State, Mr Edem Duke stressed the need for the tourism sector to be critically addressed.

The problem of tourism is that we are not addressing the critical areas of tourism.

The country has not fully opened up its tourism potentials.

Answering questions from senators, Duke advanced reasons why Nigeria’s tourism industry had not faired well over the years.

On how experts like himself could improve the tourism sector, he said, “unless we begin to run government as a business it will be difficult for experts to make an improvement in government.

‘It is my hope that the national Assembly will propel a decade of tourism development he said.

Senate President, David Mark in his closing remarks said “ I want to make it clear that it is not everybody that is nominated that will be cleared and confirmed in this senate, I hope the lesson has been learnt”.

Wife of the Rivers State Governor, Dame Judith Amaechi, exchanging pleasantries with Administrator Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority, Dame Aleruchi Cookey-Gam shortly after making a donation to the ESI Feed a Child Project. Photo: Chris Monyanaga