Senate hails ministerial nominee from Delta, Stella Okotete on achievements
The Nigerian Senate has acknowledged the laudable achievements of the Executive Director (Business Development) of Nigerian Export and Import Bank (NEXIM), Hon. Stella Okotete, in growing the non-oil exports and business fortunes of the Bank.
Hon. Stella Okotete, former National Women Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and currently serving as ED Business Development at NEXIM Bank, was President Bola Tinubu’s ministerial nominee from Delta State.
The commendation came after the Senator representing Delta Central, Senator Ede Dafinone moved a motion at the ongoing ministerial screening exercise, urging his colleagues to allow Ms. Okotete to take a bow and leave.
Senator Dafinone said while working with Ms. Okotete during his one-year stay as Non-Executive Director with NEXIM, the nominee was the engine room of the international reputable bank.
“What the nominee did not mention was that her position as the Executive Director of the Business Development Unit means she was in the engine room of the bank. The Business Development Unit is the operational department of NEXIM Bank. So, she was in charge of the operations of the Bank, and in that capacity, she was able to grow the balance sheet of the Bank and she has done exceptionally well.
“I want to add also, that as a young woman, she has also favoured the youth and women in her policies at the bank, aside from the policies she had done at home, encouraging young people in various departments and empowerment programs.
“She has also been instrumental in growing non-oil exports and as of today, the non-oil exports are the key focus of this administration, as we protect the need to grow our economy in the background of dwindling oil reserves and in moving globally away from foisting fuel, to more sustainable forms of energy.
“My Colleagues said she has distinguished herself already, what I need to add is that, I speak for my 2 Colleagues from Delta State who are both fully in support of the nominee, and to ask Distinguished Members, if the nominee from Delta State, could please be recognized for her good work in NEXIM Bank, with the background that, she has served one complete term at NEXIM Bank and that the term has been renewed about a year ago, which shows she has distinguished herself at the Bank. With that Mr. President, I urge that Distinguished Members, do ask the nominee from Delta State to please take a bow”, He said.
Meanwhile, The senate president, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who presided over the ministerial screening, also attested to the role of Ms. Okotete in women and youth development as the Women Leader of the ruling party, APC.
He said, “Honestly, when she mentioned that she was a women leader of the greatest party in Africa, I just remembered that we are all from political parties, and in normal circumstances, the party is supreme”.
Hon. Stella Okotete, while giving a short profile of herself, said; “As Women Leader of the ruling All Progressive Congress at that time, I was able to bring to bear, quality representation to our women and we established a new policy that helped shaped visibility for our women across the board,” she said.
