Federal Government Moves Forward With New Agencies, Overlooks Oronsaye’s Advice

Federal Government Moves Forward With New Agencies, Overlooks Oronsaye’s Advice

President Bola Tinubu and the legislative arm of government have continued to advocate for the creation of new ministries, agencies, and commissions, even as the President had previously called for the full implementation of the Stephen Oronsaye report……. CONTINUE READING 

According to Punch, two new commissions—the South East Development Commission and the North West Development Commission—were approved by the President between February 26, 2024, and the present date. Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, announced this development on February 26, 2024, stating that, despite the Oronsaye report recommending a leaner government, the administration has decided to move forward with new initiatives.

The Oronsaye report, submitted in 2011, suggested significant reductions and mergers of federal agencies. Out of 541 statutory and non-statutory agencies, it recommended reducing the number of statutory agencies from 263 to 161, abolishing 38 agencies, merging 52 others, and converting 14 back to departmental status within ministries. Although a white paper was issued in 2014 reviewing these recommendations, many were not implemented before the end of the Jonathan administration in 2015.

In 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration set up two committees to revisit and implement the Oronsaye report. Despite these efforts, and subsequent reviews, the recommendations were largely unmet by the end of the Buhari administration.

As the discussions on the report continued, the National Assembly and successive governments continued to create new agencies, contributing to increased recurrent expenditures. On July 9, 2024, the President approved the establishment of a new ministry, responding to a recommendation from the National Livestock Reforms Committee for a “Ministry of Livestock Resources” aimed at addressing conflicts between farmers and nomadic herders.

On February 29, 2024, the Senate passed a bill for the establishment of the National Assembly Budget and Research Office. On March 12, 2024, the House of Representatives considered a bill to create a new bank to support the mining sector and several bills for new federal tertiary institutions. These included proposals for colleges of education and technology across various states.

Further legislative activities on March 13, 2024, saw a bill for a new Federal College of Medical Laboratory Science and Technology in Akwa-Ibom, while on March 19, 2024, additional bills for the Nigeria Digital Literacy Management Office and the Police Pension Board were pushed through the Senate.

On March 20, 2024, the House of Representatives introduced bills for the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute and a Federal College of Agriculture in Kogi state. Other bills for the National Institute for Education Planning and Administration and a National Tax Crimes and Oversight Commission also progressed through the legislative process.

Despite calls for streamlining government operations, the creation of new institutions persists, reflecting ongoing debates over governance efficiency and expenditure.

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