By Haruna Salami
Ex-beauty queen , Bianca Ojukwu and six others Wednesday received Senate approval to join the cabinet of President Bola Tinubu as ministers.
The senate confirmation followed last week’s reshuffle of the 45 member cabinet of the President.
The Senate Leader, Senator Bamidele, Opeyemi (Ekiti Central) moved the motion that the Senate do consider the request of President Bola Tinubu for the confirmation of the the nominees for appointments as Ministers of Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He said the President’s request was in accordance with Section 147 (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
Thereafter, the Senate went into the “Committee of Whole” to consider the request.
Former Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria and widow of late Biafra War Lord, Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Bianca was stunning and her spell binding beauty didn’t go unnoticed as she took the stand in the Senate for screening and confirmation as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
The former Nigeria High Commissioner to Spain quickly settled in fielding questions from senators with the most profound from the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio on the deplorable state of most of Nigeria’s missions abroad.
The diplomat confirmed that poor state of the missions and calls on the federal government to provide funds to keep the embassy buildings in decent conditions.
Ojukwu hails from Anambra state in Nigeria’s Southeast and the daughter of former governor of Anambra State, Christian Onoh.
For senators from the South-east , Ojukwu’s nomination is “significant and historic” as it is an indication “Nigeria is finally putting the past of three years of civil war behind her”.
The senators also believe that Ojukwu’s inclusion in the federal cabinet will open more doors for reconciliation.
Bianca Ojukwu is nominated from the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA where her late husband, Odumegwu Ojukwu held sway for many years as leader and later contested for Nigeria’s Presidency on the platform of the party.
Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe , APGA , Abia South hails her nomination , saying it marks the beginning of “ government of national unity “, and a launchpad for national integration.
Ojukwu was confirmed along with six others, first of who was Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda, designated Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction.
Next was Mohammed Dingyadi who served as Minister of Police in the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
In Tinubu’s cabinet, he is expected to supervise the ministry of Labour and Employment.
Senate also confirmed Yusuf Ata as Minister of State for Housing Development and Idi Maiha as Minister for the newly established Ministry of Livestock Development.
Mr. Maiha said the new ministry will intend to develop a database of all the infrastructures that are animal husbandry related i.e. all the grazing reserves in the country.
The focus will be know all the cattle routes and all the dams that are viable and from there, “we will bring to drill down and measure immediately those grazing reserves that have no legal inconveniences. That is to say, that they have been visited. We analyze the situation. What is their holding capacity? Do they have sufficient grasses? Do they have sufficient water? Are there clinics, veterinary clinics, etc., etc.?
“The ministry will intend to work with other critical stakeholders to make sure that this vision is realized. The next distinguishing focus is to do massive sensitization that we want to body, heart, and mind
“We intend to encourage people by making those incentives across all those 417 grazing areas in the country, to make sure that those areas are suitable and have sufficient grass and water to contain those animals, so that the incidences, the desire to move out, will be given back.”
