The Federal government on Friday, inaugurated the white Paper Committee to review new Parastatals, Agencies and Commissions created since 2014.
The MDAs affected are those created after the submission of the Report on Restructuring and Rationalisation of Federal Government Parastatals, Agencies and Commissions.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, while inaugurating the committee, expressed concerns over the increasing cost of governance especially with revenue challenges in the country
The government had as part of efforts to halt the revenue drift, constituted a committee on the Restructuring and Rationalization of Federal Government Parastatals, Commissions and Agencies on August 18, 2011 chaired by the former Head of Service, Steve Orosanye.
The committee submitted its report on April 16, 2012 with various recommendations such as abolition, reduction, merger and reversion of some of the Agencies to Departments in Ministries.
White Paper on the report was issued in March,2014 followed by an implementation Committee that was inaugurated in May, 2014.
The committee on the white paper had rejected most of the recommendations, and merely noted an equally greater number. Again, even those accepted were not implemented.
Mustapha disclosed that the “inability to implement the report of the Committee on Restructuring and Rationalization of Federal Government Parastatals, Agencies and Commission is costing government highly.
“This cost grows higher and the situation is further worsened by the fact that new agencies are being created.”
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The Government in November, 2021 inaugurated two (2) Committees. One of the Committees was to review the Steve Orosanye report and its White Paper chaired by Bukar Aji, a retired Head of the Civil Service of the Federation. The second Committee was constituted to review New Agencies created from 2014 to date, chaired by Amal Pepple, also a retired Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
The SGF noted that “ after the submission of the Amal Pepple chaired committee report, there is the need to constitute a White Paper Committee to consider its recommendations by the government; hence the inauguration today of this committee with the following membership:
The White Paper Committee which is headed by Ebele Okeke, as Chairman; also has Ibukun Odusote, Rtd Permanent Secretary, as a member, Mustapha Sulaiman Permanent Secretary Member and Ernest Umakhihe, Permanent Secretary FMARD Member.
Others include Mahmuda Mamman Permanent Secretary FMoH Member; Hassan Musa, Permanent Secretary FMEnv Member, Ifeoma Anyawutaku Permanent Secretary FMIC- Member; and
Dasuki Arabi DG BPSR Member/Secretary.
The committee is expected to ensure the implementation of recommendations that will deliver increasing benefits over time in terms of efficiency and effectiveness.
It is also expected to ensure that” gains of the MDAS and their productive capacities within a framework are reinforced through efficiency, diligence and hard work”.
