Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education, yesterday, asked Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, to take a bow at the ongoing defence of the 2020 Appropriations Bill.
Until his appointment, he was a member of the House. Immediately he was was done with the presentation of the budget proposals of the Education Ministry, a member of the committee, Nnoli Nnaji, moved that he should be allowed to take a bow and go since he was a former member of the House.
Nnaji, who is also chairman, House Committee on Aviation, said: “I want to move that we allow the Minister to take a bow. After then, you can discuss with him; he understands what is in our legislative agenda. I so move, Mr. Chairman.”
After the motion was seconded without any counter-motion, Chairman of the Committee, Julius Ihonvbere, asked the minister to take a bow.
Ihonvbere stated that there was no doubt that Nwajiuba shared the dreams, vision and commitment of the committee that the educational sector should be made better than it is currently.
According to him, “On page 27 (of the minister ‘s presentation), you were also very clear on some very critical projects. Some of these projects agree with what we have been discussing here with other agencies in the educational sector, especially the out-of-school children, National Library and Vocational Skills Training Centres.
“This committee believes that the future of this country is technical and vocational training. And if we don’t take it seriously, once again, the rest of the world will leave us behind.
“The National Library is becoming an embarrassment. But it is not your fault. I believe the out-of-school children will be taken more seriously. So, you share our dreams, you share our vision, you share our commitment.
“Above all, you also share a passion to make our educational sector better than it is today, along with the main minister. These and other reasons, not to mention the fact that you are a ranking member of the House of Representatives, since there is not opposition to the motion, the motion is carried unopposed.
“You may take a bow and go.”