Buhari makes fresh appointments in NDIC, NACETEM

President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Dr. Olushola Odusanya as the Director General/Chief Executive Officer of the National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM).

The President’s approval was conveyed in a letter signed by the Minister of State for Science, Technology and Innovation, Henry Ikechukwu Ikoh.

The appointment takes effect from 13th of May 2023.

Until his new appointment, Dr. Odusanya was the Director of the Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Advanced Research Centre of the Sheda Science and Technology Complex (SHESTCO) and the pioneer leader of the Environmental Biotechnology Group at the Biotechnology Centre of SHESTCO.

Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, also inaugurated the Board of Directors of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), yesterday.

The minister, who will not supervise the appointees, charged them to bring their experience to bear by contributing to the stability of Nigeria’s financial system.

Performing the inauguration of the Board members at the Minister’s conference room in Abuja, Ahmed said: “You are assuming duty at a time when Nigeria’s Financial System is still facing some challenges and requires efforts aimed at addressing issues such as corporate governance, high level of non-performing loans and slide in revenue, the potential benefits and risks associated with the Financial Technology (fintech) and blockchain technology are also on the front burner.”

These and other challenges can cause a threat to the stability of our financial system and must be addressed promptly for the sector to play its role in facilitating the implementation of the National Development Plan, 2021-2025.”

According to Ahmed, their appointment cuts across representatives from the six geopolitical zones of the country, making a fair and equitable representation on the Board of the NDIC, stressing that with the calibre of personalities appointed on the board, these challenges would be addressed head-on.

She, therefore, charged them to design policies and programmes with the management team to enable the corporation to deliver on its mandate.

While congratulating the Chairman and members of the NDIC Board on their appointment, Mrs. Ahmed noted that the mandate of the corporation was to provide a financial guarantee to depositors of insured banks in the event of failure, supervision of Insured banks, distress resolution and liquidation of failed banks. She added that the corporation has been Consistent in remitting its 80% operating surplus to the consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) of the Government among many other milestones achieved.

The minister assured the board members and the management team of the continuous support of the ministry in the discharge of their responsibilities. She advised the board members not to interfere in the day-to-day administration of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation which is the responsibility of the management team.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mallam Aliyu Ahmed, said the occasion signifies the formal assumption of office by top government functionaries and allows them to be focused on key issues of interest and concern.

Responding on behalf of the Board members, the Chairman of the Board, Dr. Abdulhakeem Mobolaji Abdullateef, thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for their appointment and the confidence reposed on them to pilot the affairs of the organisation.

He promised not to disappoint the trust bestowed on them in discharging their responsibilities.

The members of the Board of Directors include Dr. Abdulhakeem Mobolaji Abdullateef as Chairman, South-West, Prof. Osita Ogbu, South-East, Engr. Umar Gambo Jibrin, North-Central and Mohammed Attahiru Haruna, North-East.

Others are: Mrs. Yasmine Zabatt Amin Dalhatu, North-West, Mr. Simon Ogie Dada, South-South and Mr. Abimbola Olasure, South-West.
The management team is comprised of Managing Director (MD), Bello-Hassan; Mrs. Emily Osuji, Executive Director (Corporate Services), Mustapha M. Ibrahim (Executive Director Operations).

Stakeholders have raised concern about the flurry of last-minute appointments made by the President with a new administration ending next week.