President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in a move to cut the cost of governance, has announced implementation of the long-awaited Steve Oronsaye Report.
The decision comes twelve years after the submission of Steve Oronsaye panel’s report on restructuring and rationalising Federal government parastatals and agencies, and subsequent issuance of a white paper two years later.
This decision, made during the Federal Executive Council meeting held Monday February 26, 2024, underscores the administration’s commitment to streamlining governance and fostering fiscal responsibility. The move also entails the merging, subsuming, and scrapping of numerous government entities with overlapping functions, paving the way for a leaner and more efficient government structure.
“We are committed to streamlining and rationalising Federal government parastatals and agencies to ensure efficiency, effectiveness and a leaner governance structure,” Tinubu said in a statement availed by Bayo Onanuga, his special adviser on Information and Strategy.
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Moreover, during the deliberations at the FEC meeting, a series of far-reaching decisions were made, including the approval for the construction of the Lagos-Port Harcourt-Calabar Coastal Superhighway. This transformative project, set to commence its first phase in Lagos, underscores the administration’s commitment to infrastructural development and economic progress across the nation.
Additionally, the Federal Executive Council endorsed the immediate initiation of social security payments to vulnerable households, with eligibility criteria requiring National Identification Number (NIN) and Bank Verification Number (BVN).
Furthermore, the scope of social security payments will be extended to graduates from Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) level and above, representing a significant step towards alleviating poverty and promoting social welfare.
Also, there are plans underway to establish a Consumer Credit scheme, with a high-level committee tasked with its urgent implementation. This is to facilitate access to credit and stimulate economic activity in the country, according to reports from the FEC meeting.
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Among the notable recommendations set for implementation is the subsuming of the National Salaries, Income, and Wages Commission under the Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Commission, necessitating constitutional amendments by the National Assembly. Additionally, the merging of the Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission with the Bureau of Public Enterprise seeks to enhance regulatory oversight and promote transparency in public-private partnerships.
With the scrapping of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) and the fusion of its functions with the Federal Ministry of Finance, the administration aims to streamline pension administration and ensure optimal resource allocation. Furthermore, the fusion of various government agencies, such as the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the National Commission for Refugees, underscores the administration’s commitment to eliminating redundancy and promoting synergy in service delivery.
Also at the meeting, an eight-man committee was established to oversee the necessary legislative amendments and administrative restructuring required for these reforms. This committee comprises key figures, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Head of the Civil Service, Attorney General and Justice Minister, Budget and Planning Minister, DG Bureau of Public Service Reform, Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination, and Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly, with the Cabinet Affairs Office serving as the secretariat.
