The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has temporarily suspended the screening of Yakubu Kwanta, a commissioner nominee and former environment commissioner, after he failed to appear before a committee to discuss the ministry’s 2024 budget performance.
The suspension was announced on Monday by Speaker Danladi Jatau in Lafia, following a motion by Muhammed Omafefu (APC-Keana), the chair of the House Committee on Environment, during the ongoing screening of commissioner nominees.
Omafefu made it clear that the Assembly would not tolerate any government official disregarding its authority as the legislative body tasked with lawmaking.
He called for Kwanta to issue a formal apology to the Assembly for his previous actions as commissioner, with the warning that failure to do so would result in a reconsideration of his suitability for screening.
Other members of the Assembly, including Mohammed Isimbabi, Ajegana Kudu, and Hudu Hudu, expressed their support for the motion and insisted that Kwanta’s written apology would preserve the Assembly’s integrity and discourage future misconduct.
Meanwhile, the Assembly has successfully screened and approved seven out of the 16 commissioner nominees submitted by Governor Abdullahi Sule on February 10.
The approved nominees are Umar Tanko-Tunga (Awe LGA), Dr. John Mamman (Kokona LGA), Munirat Abdullahi (Doma LGA), Gabriel Agbashi (Doma LGA), Isaac Danladi (Karu LGA), Margret Elayo (Keana LGA), and Ibrahim Tanko (Keffi LGA).
The Speaker congratulated the newly approved nominees and urged them to serve the state with diligence and accountability once they assume their roles.
