Buhari to send ministerial list this week- Senate

Ministerial list from President Muhammadu Buhari for confirmation by the Senate will be available this week, president of the  Senate, Ahmad Lawan has said.

Lawan stated this while reacting to a motion moved by Albert Bassey Akpan. Akpan had in the motion anchored on order 43 of the Senate’s Standing Rules, informed his colleagues of the need to mount pressure on the president to submit the list before the National Assembly embarks on long recess within the next two weeks.

He said: “Mr. president , in view of the yearly long recess both the Senate and the House of Representatives, will embark upon in two weeks time, there is need to urge President Muhammadu Buhari to forward the much expected ministerial list to the Senate for screening and confirmation.

“This is very important because if such a list is not made available for the required legislative attention before we embark on the long recess, there will be no ministers and by extension, Federal Cabinet for the president to work with, till September.

“Making the list more urgent now from the president before our long recess, is the fact that if is not made available , concerted efforts being made by both arms of government to return the yearly budget cycle to January- December , will be defeated.

“On this note, I call on the president of the Senate to inform President Muhammadu Buhari of the need for the list before we embark on recess.”

However, Lawan in his response, informed the Senate that he had it on good authority that the list will be out before the end of this week.

He said: “Let me on the strength of  this notion, inform the Senate that the Executive arm of government is working very hard on the ministerial list.

“In fact, the list based on information at my disposal, will be forwarded to us by the president before the end of this week.

“May I therefore appeal to us all, to be ready to make the necessary sacrifice in terms of sufficient  time, to be spent in carrying out thorough screening and confirmation of appointments of the expected ministerial nominees.”

Source: Sun