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The Senate has screened and confirmed seven ministerial nominees appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, including Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu.
The screening of the nominees and their approval was done at the committee of the whole while their appointments were confirmed at plenary.
The ministers-designate and their ministries were Dr Nentawe Yilwatda (Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction); Muhammadu Dingyadi (Labour & Employment); Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu (Minister of State Foreign Affairs), and Dr Jumoke Oduwole (Industry, Trade and Investment).
Others were Idi Mukhtar Maiha (Livestock Development); Yusuf Ata (State, Housing and Urban Development), and Dr. Suwaiba Ahmad (Minister of State Education).
The nominees were posed some questions regarding their proposed ministries and ideas to boost the ministries and foster overall growth and development.
Senators Enyinnaya Abaribe, Victor Umeh and Tony Nwoye, however, commended President Tinubu for appointing Bianca, wife of the late Igbo leader, Chukwuemeka Odimegwu-Ojukwu, and chieftain of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) as minister.
They said the development was an indication that Tinubu was committed to forming a Government of National Unity.
Bianca, former Nigerian Ambassador to Spain, confirmed the South East senators assertion and emphasised that Nigeria would experience massive transformation if its citizens come together with a commitment to peace.
“I am here because I believe that if we are able to come together sincerely to commit to serving this nation, focusing on ensuring that we have peace, then the sky is the limit for this country," she said.
She noted that the combined efforts of cultural, governmental, and diplomatic organisations could drive transformative change.
“There is hope for this country if we sincerely commit to unity and focus on peace, Nigeria’s potential is limitless,” she also said.
The Minister-Designate for Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, pledged to continue with the economic policy of the Tinubu administration which focuses on investment, productivity, and job creation.
She noted that the, key reforms in monetary and fiscal policy aimed at stabilising the economy had started to deliver some results.
“Perhaps what we now need to deliver is the convergence of these two pillars of monetary and fiscal policy, with trade, investment, and industrial policies, to further drive growth,” she said.
