Bianca Ojukwu And Other Newly Confirmed Ministers Set For Swearing-In Ceremony

Bianca Ojukwu And Other Newly Confirmed Ministers Set For Swearing-In Ceremony
On Wednesday, the Senate confirmed Bianca Odimiegwu-Ojukwu as the new Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, alongside several other nominees. Dr. Jumoke Oduwole was confirmed as Minister of Industry, Trade and Development; Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction; and Muhammadu Dingyadi as Minister of Labour and Employment. Additionally, Idi Muktar Maiha was confirmed as Minister of Livestock Development, Yusuf Ata as Minister of State for Housing, and Dr. Suwaiba Said Ahmad as Minister of State for Education.

The confirmations followed about five hours of Senate screenings and a voice vote led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio. This process comes after President Bola Tinubu relieved several ministers of their duties on October 21, 2024. Among the new appointments, Iman Sulaiman-Ibrahim took over as Minister of Women Affairs, succeeding Uju Kennedy Ohanenye, while the former Minister of Tourism, Lola Ade-John, transitioned to the Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy.

Earlier in the day, the Senate suspended its rules to allow the Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters, Basheer Lado, to present the nominees for confirmation. During their screenings, the newly confirmed ministers outlined their plans for their respective ministries.

Bianca Ojukwu addressed the challenges faced by Nigerian embassies due to insufficient funding, which hampers maintenance and diminishes Nigeria’s global stature. She highlighted her achievements as ambassador to Spain and urged the government to prioritize embassy upkeep to enhance Nigeria’s diplomatic representation. “Many embassies are struggling due to funding shortages, which affects our standing on the world stage,” she noted.

Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, in her presentation, shared her vision to revitalize Nigeria’s economy through targeted investments, productivity, and job creation. She emphasized the need for coherent monetary, fiscal, and trade policies to achieve sustainable growth. “Since President Tinubu’s administration began, key reforms have shown promising results in stabilizing the economy,” Oduwole said, pointing to declining inflation and ongoing tax reforms.

Addressing the significant decline in foreign direct investment (FDI) in Nigeria, Oduwole identified investment retention and attraction, boosting exports, and job creation as her top priorities if confirmed. She cited a recent $3 billion commitment from Jindal Steel Africa to Nigeria’s steel sector as a positive indication of the administration’s economic reforms. Oduwole also highlighted initiatives supporting youth employment in IT service exports, showcasing the potential for Nigeria to become a global hub for such services.

Throughout her remarks, Oduwole emphasized collaboration with previous administrations, including her work on the Collateral Bill, which facilitated loans for small businesses through a nationwide collateral registry.

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