Senate confirms Shekarau, Adeyeye, others as ministers

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

Senate yesterday confirmed the former Kano state governor, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, Abdu Bulama (Yobe State), Stephen Oru (Delta State) and Prince Adedayo Adeyeye (Ekiti State) as ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Recall that last months, President Goodluck Jonathan forwarded the names of the nominees to the Senate for their confirmation as ministers.

At the Senate plenary yesterday, the four nominees were successfully screened and confirmed without objection from the three Senators representing their respective states.

Shortly after their confirmation as ministers, the Senate President, David Mark, charged them to see Nigeria as their constituency and not their states or political parties.

According to him, “We hope that whenever they are given portfolio, they will see Nigeria as their constituency and not their states or political parties”.

Responding to questions from the lawmakers on how to tackle the problems of unemployment, poverty and criminality in the country, Shekarau, who has been tipped to take-over Education ministry, suggested that skills acquisition should be reintroduced in the school curriculum.

This, he said, would enable students to be trained to acquire certain skills that would help them to be self reliant when they leave school, without necessarily depending on government for employment.

He noted that unemployment was the fundamental cause of indiscipline, agitation and violence, which is currently traumatizing the country.

The ex-governor further pointed out that the skills acquisition programme was initially inculcated in the 6-3-3-4 system of education, but regretted that the frequent military intervention in Nigerian politics never allowed it to work.

He implored government to revisit the 6334 education Programme and ensure its full implementation in order to get the desired result of education in Nigeria.

He also stressed on the need to improve on power generation as a pragmatic step towards boosting the industrial sector, asserting that the manufacturing sector could never be developed without adequate power generation in the system.

Shekarau further stated that the issue of unemployment must not be left for government alone, arguing that it is the business of government, the private sector and individuals to create employment.

Also, proffering solution to the multifarious socio-economic problems facing Nigeria, another minister, Abdu Bulama, described education as the key factor for national development and integration.

He urged government to make education number one priority in the list of its programmes for national transformation.