Jonathan nominates 2 new ministers

Posted by admin Goodluck Jonathan (2010-present), Presidency Thursday, January 17th, 2013

From ADETUTU FOLASADE-KOYI, Abuja

President Goodluck Jonathan has commenced moves to replace former defence minister, Haliru Bello Mohammed and former minister of power, Barth Nnaji in the Federal Executive Council (FEC). The president had forwarded the nomination of Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (Kebbi) and Prof. Chinedu Nebo (Enugu) as ministerial nominees to the Senate for confirmation. In a January 16 letter addressed to Senate President, David Mark, the president said the nomination was in conformity with Section 147 (2) of the 1999 Constitution.

In another correspondence, President Jonathan informed the Senate of the up-coming centenary of Nigeria and requested an allotted time to brief senators on programmes scheduled for the occasion. Nigeria’s centenary would come up on January 1, 2014. The January 10 letter reads: “You may wish to recall that on January 1, 1914 the northern and southern protectorates of Nigeria were formally amalgamated into one country-establishing modern day Nigeria. “This implies that the January 1, 2014 marks 100 years of our union as a nation.

Notwithstanding our challenges, it is considered that this is a significant anniversary deserving of celebration by the citizens and Government of Nigeria. “It is against this background that I constituted a 19-member Planning Committee for the Centenary celebrations under the chairmanship of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. The committee has articulated a proposed framework for the celebrations, which has already been presented to the FEC and also to the state governors at the National Economic Council for their inputs.

“The purpose of this letter is to request for a convenient date for the Senate to receive a full briefing on the proposed programme for the centenary celebrations so that your inputs will also be accommodated in the framework. “It is my hope that this request will receive the traditional expeditious consideration of the distinguished senators.”

-Punchwp_posts