The Deputy President of the Senate (DSP), Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has commended President Muhammadu Buhari on the appointment of Chief Ede Dafinone as a board member of the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM).
According to Senator Omo-Agege, the appointment demonstrates President Buhari’s strong interest in showcasing professionalism.
Buhari appointed Dafinone as a board member of NEXIM to replace Mr Adesina Adegbenro, whose tenure of appointment expired on December 28, 2020. The appointment was in accordance with the NEXIM Act, Section 8(e), which stipulates that two persons should be appointed to represent private export interest on the board.
The President equally appointment Mr. Kabiru Hassan as a member of the board of the bank.
Reacting, Senator Omo-Agege, who represents Delta Central Senatorial District in the Senate described Dafinone’s appointment as an honour to the Urhobo nation and Delta State at large.
According to him, Dafinone, who is a renowned accountant is capable of representing the interest of Nigerians at the NEXIM bank, adding that the appointment will enrich the board.
This was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday, and signed by Mr Yomi Odunuga, Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, to the Deputy President of the Senate.
According to Omo-Agege, the appointee is also known for his philanthropic efforts, adding that he has been using the Dafinone Foundation to provide scholarships for post graduate education, distributing micro-credit loans to women and supporting the development of vocational skills within his community.
The Deputy Senate President also urged Dafinone to use his appointment to serve the interest of Nigerians and promote the Buhari-led administration’s policy thrust and development agenda.
The statement partly reads, “Judging by Dafinone’s pedigree as an astute economist, chartered accountant, member of several indigenous and international professional bodies, he is coming to NEXIM with wealth of experience that will add value to the Bank and extend its frontiers.”
Dafinone holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics at the Victoria University of Manchester, (1983) and also holds a Master’s degree from the University of Exeter, UK (1984).
He is an astute accountant having held various leadership positions in both private and government establishments.
His area of expertise includes Auditing, Accounting, and Insurance brokerage, Project Planning & Execution, Financial & Economic Planning, among others.
He had served as the Treasurer of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (1989). He was also a Member of the National Broadcasting Commission from 1992 to1994.
