President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday sought the confirmation of the Senate for appointment of 42 nominees as career ambassadors to Nigerian foreign missions.
Buhari’s request is contained in a letter addressed to President of Senate, Ahmad Lawan and read at plenary on Tuesday.
The 42 nominees, according to the letter, are: C.O. Nwachukwu (Abia); A. Kefas (Adamawa); R.U Brown (Akwa Ibom); G.A Odudigbo (Anambra); O.C Onowu (Anambra); Y.S. Suleiman (Bauchi); E.S. Agbana (Bayelsa); B.B.M. Okoyen (Bayelsa); G.M. Okoko (Benue); A.M. Garba (Borno); M.I. Bashir (Borno); M.O. Abam (Cross River); A.E. Allotey (Cross River); G. E. Edokpa (Edo); A. N. Madubuike (Enugu); Adamu Lamuwa (Gombe); Mr Innocent A. Iwejuo (Imo); M. S. Abubakar (Jigawa); Y. A. Ahmed (Jigawa); S. D. Umar (Kaduna); A. Sule (Kano); G. Y. Hamza (Kano).
Others are: N. Rimi (Katsina); L. S. Ahmed-Remawa (Katsina); M. Manu (Kebbi); l. R. Ocheni (Kogi); l. A. Yusuf (Kogi); M. Abdulraheem (Kwara); W. A. Adedeji (Lagos); A. U. Ogah (Nasarawa); A. A. Musa (Niger); N. A. Kolo (Niger); S.O. Olaniyan (Ogun); A. R. Adejola (Ogun); O. E. Awe (Ondo); O. O. Aluko (Osun); I. A. Alatishe (Osun); V. A. Adeleke (Oyo); M. S. Adamu (Plateau); l. N. Charles (Rivers); Z M. lfu (Taraba); B. B. Hamman (Yobe).
The Senate, also at plenary, urged the Federal Government to come to the aid of victims of bomb blast that took place in Ilu Abo, in Akure North of Ondo State.
The resolution was sequel to a point of order raised by Sen. Ayo Akinyelure (PDP-Ondo), having cited order 42 and 52 of the Senate rule.
The Senate, also in its resolution, called for compensation and provision of relief materials by National Emergency Agency (NEMA) to victims of the bomb blast.
The Senate also urged Sen. Ifeanyi Ubah (YPP-Anambra), to present his motion on alleged non compliance of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to Federal Governments’ directive on stoppage of collection of import duties on pharmaceutical products the next legislative date.
Ubah, having cited order 42 of the Senate rule which provided for personal explanation, alleged that NCS had not complied to government directive on stoppage of collection of duties on imported pharmaceutical products given the Coronavirus pandamic.
Ubah in his explanation, said he had evidence that NCS officials at the ports were not adhering to Federal Government’s directive on stoppage of import duty collection on medical items imported into Nigeria.
He alleged that NCS officials were still collecting import duties from Nigerians importing medical related products into the country.
Meanwhile, the Senate also passed for first reading five bills. The bills are: Allocation of Revenue (Federation Account) Amendment Bill, 2020 sponsored by Sen.Bassey Akpan(PDP Akwa Ibom), Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act Amendment Bill 2020 by Sen.Sani Uba(APC Kaduna) and Sen. Berty Apiafi(PDP Rivers), among others.
It also passed for second reading two bills.
The bills are: A bill to provide for prevention, control and management of sickle cell anaemia 2020.
The bill, which received debate from senators on the need to prevent the disease, was sponsored by Sen. Sam Egwu (PDP-Ebonyi).
A bill for an Act to establish the Advanced Health Development Fund 2020 sponsored by Sen. Sandy Onor( PDP-Cross River).
The two bills were referred to the committee on Primary Health Care and Communicable Diseases for further legislative inputs and to report back in four weeks.
