Yar’Adua swears in new minister

Okey Muogbo, Abuja - 19.02.2009

PRESIDENT Umaru Yar’Adua on Wednesday sworn in a new minister, Mr. Humphrey Aba, a lawyer from Kogi State.

The swearing in was one of the functions performed by President Yar’Adua during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

Aba, whose confirmation at the Senate was characterised by controversy as two of the senators from Kogi State opposed his nomination, was assigned the minister of state at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Also at the FEC meeting, a memo from the Minister of Education, Dr. Sam Egwu, was approved.

The memo was for the award of contract for the construction of a laboratory at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

The contract, valued at N112,052,642.86, was awarded to Messrs Golden Destiny Investment Limited and was due to be completed within two months.

Minister of State in the Ministry of Information and Communications, Alhaji Aliyu Ikra Bilbis, who briefed State House correspondents after the meeting, said the approval for the contract was in line with the seven-point agenda of the administration as it related to reforms in the education sector.