Lawmakers Call For Review Of Oronsaye Report To Match Current Realities

Lawmakers Call For Review Of Oronsaye Report To Match Current Realities....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The House of Representatives Special Ad Hoc Committee on the Restructuring of Government Agencies and Commissions has emphasized the need to review the suggestions outlined in the Steve Oronsaye Report to ensure they align with the Nigerian government structure and current realities.

Naija News reports that the report, presented to the Federal Government in 2012, aims to reduce governance expenses by consolidating, abolishing, and relocating certain government departments and agencies. The report identified a total of 541 statutory and non-statutory Federal Government parastatals, commissions, and agencies.

During the Federal Executive Council meeting on February 26, 2024, chaired by President Bola Tinubu, the implementation of the report was approved to minimize the cost of governance, as confirmed by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris. The recommendations include merging 29 government agencies, integrating eight parastatals into other agencies, transferring four agencies to different ministries, and eliminating one agency.

The FEC has tasked a committee led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, to assess the report and provide recommendations.

Addressing journalists on Tuesday at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, the Reps Ad Hoc Committee chairman, Isiaka Ayokunle, defended the necessity of reviewing the report. He stated, “We must revisit the recommendations of the Oronsaye Report and other pertinent white papers to ensure that we are aligning our government structures with current realities, best practices, and the changing needs of our society.

“The world is evolving rapidly, and our government agencies and commissions must be structured in a way that enables them to deliver on their mandates effectively and efficiently.”

Ayokunle, the representative of the Ifo/Ewekoro Federal Constituency in Ogun State, emphasized the committee’s objective of identifying redundancies, duplications, inefficiencies, and areas for enhancement within the Federal Government agencies and commissions during the review process.

“Our goal is to apply the legislative approach in streamlining operations, eliminate duplication of functions, enhance service delivery, and optimize resource allocation.

“This review will be comprehensive and thorough, taking into consideration the diverse perspectives and expertise available to us.

“We acknowledge the importance of stakeholder engagement in this process, and we will require input from various stakeholders, including government officials, experts, civil society organizations, and the general public.”

The lawmaker further noted that the committee would hold a one-day public hearing on the matter on July 10 in Abuja.