Fred Itua, Abuja
Despite opposition, the Senate yesterday, confirmed President Muhammadu Buhari’s nominations for appointments as Chairman, Director-General and Commissioners of National Pension Commission(PenCom).
The confirmation was sequel to the presentation and consideration of the report of Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service Matters. The report was presented by the Vice-Chairman of the Committee, Mpigi Barinada.
Presenting the report, Barinaga said the committee screened and found the nominees worthy of the appointments.
He, however, said that the committee recommended that the nominee from Katsina should be stood down because she was yet to present her National Youth Service Corps certificate (NYSC) to the committee.
Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, who alongside Southern lawmakers, opposed the confirmation of the of the Director-General, Aisha Dahir-Umar, noted that the nominee should have been picked from the South East region, following the non completion of the tenure of the former head who was from the region.
Ali Ndume and Aishatu Dahiru, both from North East where the Dahir-Umar hails from, argued that it was within the prerogative of President Buhari to appoint people into positions based on existing laws.