Senate confirms Badamasi Lawal as NSIPA national coordinator

The Senate has confirmed Badamasi Lawal as the national coordinator of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA).

Lawal, nominated by President Bola Tinubu in August, replaces Halima Shehu who was suspended earlier in the year over alleged financial misconduct.

He was confirmed after Idiat Adebule, chair of the senate committee on poverty alleviation and social investments presented a report during plenary on Thursday.

Adebule said that during the screening exercise, Lawal satisfactorily answered questions on topical issues related to social investments.

“The nominee displayed competence and absolute knowledge on social investment concerns. He has the requisite qualifications and knowledge of the job,” she said.

Diket Plang, senator representing Plateau north, said the nominee is fit for the job.

“I will like it as much as we are screening people, we should go beyond their qualifications and experiences, we should also determine how alert they are,” he said.

“This type of assignment is national and has to do with Nigerians and selection of beneficiaries, we need people who are healthy and mentally.”

Senate President Godswill Akpabio wished Lawal well and said that the agency had been bedeviled with scandals in the last few months.