Senate expresses satisfaction over minister designate Okotete’s achievements

The Nigerian Senate, has expressed satisfaction with the laudable achievements of the Executive Director (Business Development) of Nigerian Export and Import Bank (NEXIM), Stella Okotete, in growing the non-oil exports and business fortunes of the Bank.

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 take a bow and leave due to her achievements in the bank.

Senator Dafinone, while moving the motion, said he had the opportunity of working with Ms. Okotete during his one year stay as Non-Executive Director with NEXIM, adding that 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 Business Development Unit, means she was at the engine room of the bank. The Business Development Unit, is the operational department of the 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 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 at 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 move globally away from foisting fuel, to a more sustainable forms of energy”, Senator Dafinone told his Colleagues.

President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, 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”.

Senator Akpabio thereafter polled the question for the nominee to take a bow and the response was in affirmative with overwhelming and resounding approval by all the Senators in attendance.

Earlier, Ms. Okotete had explained to the Senators that, “The functions of the ED Business Development of the Bank, which I still hold till date, is to drive the business directorate of the Bank, to create quality risk assets and to also provide funding for exporters in the non-oil sector”.