By Kingsley Okoye
The Senate at plenary on Wednesday confirmed the appointment of Mrs Halima Shehu as the National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Programme Agency(NSIPA).
Her confirmation followed the approval of a motion by Senate Majority Leader, Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele (APC-Ekiti) at the Committee of the Whole.
Before her confirmation, the Senate suspended its rule to allow the admittance of the nominee and other guest into the chamber.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Sen. Abdullahi Gumel led the nominee into the chamber.
Thereafter, the nominee gave highlight of her career profiles and professional experiences.
Shehu said she hold a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and a Masters degree in International Affairs and a Diplomacy from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
She said that she had over 10 years’ experience in banking industry, heading several units in the banking operations.
She began her career as a National Youth Corps Service(NYSC) member at Afri-Project Consortium, a project under the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF).
She served from 1999 to 2009 at the former InterCity Bank (ICB) Plc where she was an Audit and Internal Control Officer to Unity Bank Plc, while heading the Customer Service, Cash, Clearing and Funds Transfer Unit.
She also worked with Access Bank where she resigned as a Branch Services Operations Manager.
Shehu was at a time, a member of the Board of Internal Revenue and was appointed as the Senior Special Assistant to the Executive Governor of Katsina State, from 2011 through 2015.
In 2016, she made a significant commitment to her role in regional diplomacy and democratic processes by becoming an esteemed member of the Electoral Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for Presidential Election observation at Cape Verde Island.
“I worked closely with the pioneer Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development as a Consultant and Technical Adviser.
“I also held the position of the National Programme Co-ordinator for the National Cash Transfer Office, a World Bank and Government Funded Programme by the Abacha Resituated Funds (ARF),” she said.
Shehu, while responding to questions, commended the Senate for the legal framework establishing the social investment programme agency.
She said the agency would ensure seamless implementation of the various aspects of the programme.
“The agency under my watch, with other stakeholders, will ensure transparency in the implementation of the programmes and in the selection of vulnerable Nigerians across the country.
“There will be full and logical implementation of the programmes for better attainment of the goals and objectives of the agency,” Shehu said. (NAN)
