The Rivers State House of Assembly has cleared the two commissioner nominees sent to it by the state Governor, Chief Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi for confirmation and approval.
In a unanimous vote at yesterday’s sitting, the state lawmakers approved the nomination of the commissioners designate as requested by the state governor.
The commissioners designate cleared by the House are Hon. Osimaka Chukwu ThankGod Ideozu as commissioner designate for finance while Barrister Chikere Kenneth was cleared as attorney-general and commissioner for justice.
Prior to the commencement of the screening exercise, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Tonye Harry who presided over the events of the day, said Governor Amaechi had sent a letter requesting the House to screen and confirm the commissioners designate.
Hon. Harry stated that the approval of the nominees as requested by the governor would speed up administrative matters in the state, and urged his colleagues to give the request the urgent attention it deserved.
Before the nominees were allowed into the chamber of the House for screening, the House Leader, Hon. Golden Ngozi Chioma, representing Etche Constituency II, moved a motion allowing the commissioners designate into the hallowed chamber of the House.
The motion was seconded by the House Deputy Leader, Hon. Hope Ikiriko (Ahoada West).
Although, the screening of Barrister Chikere Kenneth witnessed a thorough cross examination by the state lawmakers, the situation was not as such for Hon. Asinaka Chukwu ThankGod Ideozu, who was given the privilege to bow and leave because he was a former federal legislator and also former member of the state Assembly.
Answering questions put to him by Hon. Bob-Manuel Okatta (Omuma) on how best he would tackle the problem of prison congestion in the state, Barrister Kenneth opined that the way out was reformation of the present justice delivery system in the country.
He assured that he would provide positive contributions and suggestion to the state executive council on the need to rehabilitate the ailing state-owned companies in order to provide employment for the teeming Rivers State youths, noting that youth restiveness has been attributed to unemployment.
Meanwhile, as reactions and eulogies continue to trail the emergence of Chief Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as governor of Rivers State, the state House of Assembly has congratulated the new governor over his victory at the Supreme Court and subsequent swearing-in to office as the governor of Rivers State.
Making the congratulation yesterday on behalf of the state lawmakers and staff of the Assembly, the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Tonye Harry described the victory as good for democracy.
Hon. Harry opined that in every democracy, the legislature was a symbol of authority while the judiciary was the hope of the society in a democracy.
He lauded the judiciary, particularly the Supreme Court judges for rekindling and restoring the hope of Nigerians, describing the ruling as a landmark that would stand tall in the history of the country, especially in the minds of Rivers State people.
The speaker thanked the Supreme Court judges for restoring the mandate won by Chief Amaechi as governor of Rivers State.
