By Ahmed ‘Lateef
The Kwara State House of Assembly, on Wednesday, confirmed the appointment of Dr Lawal Olalekan Olohungbebe and Dr Mariam Nnafatima Imam as Commissioners in the State Executive Council.
The confirmation of the appointment followed the appearance of the two nominees for screening on the floor of the hallowed chambers of the state House of Assembly.
The Speaker, Engineer Yakubu Danladi Salihu, who conveyed the confirmation of the commissioner-nominees after emerging from the committee of the whole, said the House found them suitable for the appointment.
Salihu said, “Having dissolved into the committee of the whole House after the appearance of the two nominees for screening, we hereby confirm their appointment as commissioners in the state executive council”.
He directed the Clerk to the House, Mr Ahmed Olayiwola, to communicate the confirmation of the two commissioner-nominees to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq immediately after the plenary.
While Olohungbebe, prior to his nomination, served as Senior Special Assistant to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Community Development, Imam was also appointed Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
At the plenary on Wednesday, the commissioners-designate were screened separately with the state lawmakers taking turns to eulogize their contributions to the development of the state where they served before their nomination into the state cabinet.
Some of the lawmakers, who spoke on the choice of the nominees, lauded the Governor for placing competence on the front burner.
A member representing Kaiama/Kemanji/Wajibe of Kaiama Local Government in the state House of Assembly, Halidu Danbaba, showered praises on Nnafatima Imam for proving her mettle where she previously served.
“I have had cause to interact with her when she was appointed as Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Sustainable Development Goals, and I am convinced that she has what it takes to be in the cabinet of our Governor. I will urge the House to allow her bow and go”, Danbaba pleaded.
Olohungbebe, who responded to a question from Danbaba during his appearance for screening, described community development and education as inseparable.
He said, “There is nothing like community development without education. We should be futuristic about our strategy for education. We should be less concerned about what we have achieved so far. But I know that what our Governor has done is a right step to address problems in the education sector”.
It would be recalled that Governor AbdulRazaq, last week, transmitted the names of the two nominees to the House for consideration and approval as commissioners in the state executive council.
Their nomination came at a time that the state executive council approved the creation of two Ministries, Transportation and Livestock. The two new ministries are to be fashioned out of the existing state Ministry of Works and Transport and Ministry of Agriculture.
The approval for the creation of the two ministries was sequel to a memo the state acting Head of Service, Mr Mohammed Ibrahim, presented to the state executive council meeting.
