Tag: Oronsaye report

The House of Representatives has promised that there will be no job loss due to the proposed merger of government agencies as recommended by the Stephen Oronsaye report on restructuring of government agencies.

Chairman of the committee set up to review the recommendations, Ibrahim Isiaka, at a news conference in Abuja yesterday, said the aim is to save cost of governance and not for workers to lose their jobs. He added that the committee will soon begin engaging with concerned government agencies.

According to Isiaka, there are several agencies performing almost the same role, and so such agencies may be merged.

He said: “We are here to address the pressing need to review the Oronsaye Report and other White Papers on the restructuring of government agencies, parastatals, and commissions.

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“The Oronsaye Report, published in 2012, highlighted various recommendations aimed at rationalising and optimising the operations of government agencies to enhance efficiency and cost-effectiveness. It is imperative for us to revisit the recommendations and other pertinent White Papers to ensure we align our government structures with current realities, best practices, and the changing needs of our society.

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

“Through this review process, we aim to identify redundancies, duplications, inefficiencies, and areas of improvement within the government agencies and commissions. Our goal is to apply the legislative approach in streamlining operations, eliminate duplication of functions, enhance service delivery, and optimise resource allocation.

“This review will be comprehensive and thorough, taking into cognizance the diverse perspectives and expertise available to us. We acknowledge the importance of stakeholder engagement in this process, and we will be seeking input from various stakeholders, including government officials, experts, civil society organisations, and the public. Transparency, accountability, and inclusivity will be the guiding principles of our review process.

“The Special ad hoc committee on the restructuring of federal government agencies and commissions is committed to fostering a more efficient, effective, and responsive government that meets the needs of the people.”

A group, Borno State Concerned Citizens, has kicked against the merging of Nigerian Army University, Biu (NAUB) with Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) as recommended by Oronsaye Report, saying merging the two institutions will be counterproductive.

In a letter dated March 25, 2024 to the chairman, Implementation Committee on Oronsaye Report, the leader of Borno State Concerned Citizens, Alhaji Muhammad Ibrahim (Dan Masanin Biu) said they were worried “the merging of these two distinct Institutions will not augur well for the sacred nature of our military training and defence system.”

According to them: “The Nigerian Defence Academy is a specialised Institution, strategically positioned to train officers for the Nigerian Army, Navy and Air Force”.  

On Friday, 8th March, 2024, the Committee on the implementation of the recommendations of Oronsaye Report and White Papers on Restructuring and Rationalisation of Federal Government Parastatals, Agencies and Commissions, was inaugurated by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, on behalf of the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The Terms of Reference of the Implementation Committee is to carry out extensive merger, relocation, subsuming and or scrapping of some parastatals, agencies and commissions, with a view to reducing the cost of governance and engender efficiency in the system.

Read Also: Oronsaye Report: ‘Research institute in Enugu not for merger’

However, while commending the Federal Government for the bold step and initiative, Borno citizens warned that the proposed mergers may jeopardise the statutory mandates of some specialised institutions, especially the Nigerian Defence Academy.  

“Therefore, mixing them up with civilians from the Nigerian Army University Biu will be counterproductive. We are also worried that the merger of these two Institutions was not part of the initial Oronsaye Report of 2012 as well as the reviewed one. Therefore, it wil be out of place to include them in the lists of institutions to be streamlined or merged as proposed.

“We observed that many bills for the establishment of Universities and Institutions of higher learning were passed by the National Assembly and signed into law after the establishment of NAUB.

“We also observed that the National Assembly has passed and will continue to pass bills for the establishment of tertiary institutions in the country as it becomes necessary. That more licenses for establishment of private universities have also been granted by NUC because of inadequate number of tertiary institutions in the country.

“We humbly appeal to the Committee on the implementation of Oronsaye Report and White Papers on Restructuring and Rationalization of Federal Government Parastatals, Agencies and Commission to reconsider the proposed merger of the Nigerian Defence Academy and the Nigerian Army University, Biu and allow each to play its distinctive role in the overall interest of the nation,” they said. 

The proposed implementation of the Oronsaye report approved by the Federal Government about 12 years ago is causing ripples among stakeholders, writes TOBA AGBOOLA

The approval, by President Bola Tinubu, of the implementation of the Presidential Committee on the Rationalisation and Restructuring of Federal Government Parastatals, Commissions, and Agencies, headed by a former Head of Service of the Federation, Stephen Oronsaye, is creating ripples.

The President had announced that the implementation of the report would lead to merger of ministries and prunning of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) from 263 to 161, among others.

Although the decision has been long-awaited, it has sparked the fear of job loss among Federal Government’s workers.

Also, the Organised Labour is afraid over the implementation of the report.

However, the Federal Government has allayed fears of job losses. It said it resolved to implement the report to pave the way for a leaner government by merging some agencies and scrapping some others.

Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who made this known in a post on his X handle, had explained: “Twelve years after the Steve Oronsaye Panel submitted its report on restructuring and rationalising of Federal Government’s parastatals and agencies and a White Paper issued two years after, President Tinubu and the Federal Executive Council decided to implement the report.

“Many agencies will be scrapped and many others will be merged, to pave the way to a leaner government.’’

Senior civil servants, others react

The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has thrown its weight behind the implementation of Oronsaye Report, saying there was the need to cut the cost of governance.

The union, however, cautioned against throwing out workers into the labour market.

Addressing reporters recently in Abuja, the National President of ASCSN, Comrade Tommy Okon, noted that the merger of some offices,  scrapping of some and subsuming some into other MDAs was one way of cutting costs.

He said: “We have received several messages and calls from the workers and other stakeholders wanting to know if the implementation of the Oronsanye Report would affect jobs or lead to job loss. Let me use this opportunity to state that we cannot continue to do the same thing all the time and expect different results.

“As a Union, we have been on this issue of cutting the cost of governance and this has to be done holistically, taking into consideration all arms of government: the Executive, Legislative and Judiciary.

“These will be the best ways to make governance efficient, cost-effective and productive. Let me also say that being in Union does not warrant blind and thoughtless criticism. Whenever the government takes the right decision, we should agree and if need be, suggest even better ideas to move the nation forward just like what the Trade Union Congress did by forwarding 15 suggestions to Mr. President on how to get the nation out of the wood.

“The Oronsaye Report established that there are 541 Federal Government parastatals, Commissions, Agencies (Statutory and non-statutory) and recommended that 263 of the statutory agencies should be reduced to 161, while 38 agencies should be abolished and 52 merged. It also recommended that 14 of the agencies should revert to departments in ministries.

“Of the 104 MDAs, some of those to be scrapped, fused and merged include the EFCC, ICPC, CCB, NTA, NCC, PPPRA, COREN, PTAD, VON, NAHCON, and NCPC.

“We have been clamouring for government at all levels to cut the cost of governance; to us, this is one of the best ways to achieve it.

“Therefore, there is the need for the government to drastically cut the cost of governance, eliminate the overlapping of responsibilities to ensure that responsibilities are appropriately domiciled, increasing efficiency, effectiveness, increased productivity, national competitiveness and international ranking.”

While calling on Tinubu to review the report to ensure it aligns with realities, the union sought the inclusion of organised labour in the implementation of the Report to ensure credibility.

The government’s move also got the nod of the Labour Party (LP)’s presidential candidate in the last year’s general election, Mr Peter Obi, who said being in opposition did not warrant thoughtless criticism.

Cautioning the government against hasty action, he added that if well-implemented, the Oronsaye report would cut the high cost of governance, among others.

He urged the government to eliminate waste and redirect funds to education, healthcare and poverty eradication programmes.

Read Also: Oronsaye report: Labour cautions Fed Govt against job loss

A political economist, Prof. Pat Utomi, on his X handle described Tinubu’s decision as a ‘paradox ahoy’.

He suggested it would be proper if the administration could just start with trimming the cabinet.

“Paradox ahoy. The largest cabinet in Nigerian history has just voted for full implementation of the Oronsaye Report. Applause. Applause!! If we can just start with trimming the cabinet,” he said.

NLC, TUC, NASU against govt’s move

Countering the Federal Givernment, organised labour expressed outrage over Tinubu’s approval of the implementation of the Oronsaye Report on public sector reforms, saying it would lead to massive job losses, among others.

While the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has directed its members in the public sector to it with impact analysis report focusing on the potential consequences, including job losses, changes in workload, pay/compensation and the impact on workers, work, and trade unions, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) set up a three-member committee to monitor the implementation of the report to ensure none of its members loses their job.

Already, the Non-Academic Staff of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) General Secretary, Comrade Peters Adeyemi, has called on Tinubu to review his stance on the report because of its members’ job, asking: “Why did you think the former governments of President Goodluck Jonathan and President Muhammadu Buhari refused to implement the Oronsaye Report? You think they are cowards?”

Information minister: govt not out to retrench workers

Speaking at the fourth Ministerial Briefing Series in Abuja, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said: “The whole idea is that the government wants to reduce cost and improve efficiency in service delivery.

‘’It does not mean that the government is out to retrench workers or throw people into the labour market.”

Idris said the implementation of the report, which had been on the shelf for about 11 years, is a clear demonstration of President Tinubu’s commitment to fiscal prudence and responsible governance by championing a comprehensive review of government‘s commissions, agencies, and parastatals.

He said report’s approval was to ensure that essential services were not compromised and that the needs of citizens are adequately addressed.

The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has backed the decision of President Bola Tinubu to implement the Oronsaye Report which recommended the merger and scrapping of some agencies of government to cut down the cost of governance.

ASCSN, which is the umbrella body of senior civil servants in public service in the country, however, urged the federal government to ensure that the implementation of the report does not amount to any loss of jobs.

ASCSN, which is an affiliate of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, said there was a need to cut down the cost of governance in the county, noting that it had emphasised this before.

Addressing reporters on Monday in Abuja, National President of ASCSN, Comrade Tommy Okon said the union was in support of the implementation of the report which recommended the merger or scrapping of some parastatals, agencies, and commissions of government.

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President Tinubu last directed called for the implementation of the report within the next 12 weeks.

Okon said the merger of some offices, total scrapping of some, and subsuming others into other Ministries, Department, and Agencies (MDAs) was one of the best ways of cutting down governance costs, as there were too many overlapping responsibilities in some parastatals, agencies, and commissions.

He said: “We have received several messages and calls from the workers and other stakeholders wanting to know if the implementation of the Oronsaye Report would affect jobs or lead to job loss. Let me use this opportunity to state that we cannot continue to do the same thing all the time and expect different results.

“As a union, we have been on this issue of cutting the cost of governance and this has to be done holistically, taking into consideration all arms of government: the Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary.

“These will be the best ways to make governance efficient, cost-effective, and productive. Let me also say that being in the Union does not warrant blind and thoughtless criticism. Whenever the government takes the right decision, we should agree and if need be, suggest even better ideas to move the nation forward just like what the Trade Union Congress did by forwarding 15 (Fifteen) points suggestions to Mr. President on how to get the nation out of the wood.

“The Oronsaye Report established that there are 541 (Five hundred and forty-one) FG Parastatals, Commissions, Agencies (Statutory and non-statutory) and recommended that 263 (Two hundred and sixty-three) of the statutory agencies should be reduced to 161 (One hundred and sixty one), while 38 (Thirty-eight) agencies should be abolished and 52 (Fifty-two) should be merged. It also recommended that 14 (Fourteen) of the agencies should revert to departments in ministries. Out of the 104 (One hundred and four) MDAs, some of those to be scrapped, fused and merged include the EFCC, ICPC, CCB, NTA, NCC, PPPRA, COREN, PTAD, VON, NAHCON, NCPC etc.

“We have been clamouring for government at all levels to cut the cost of governance, to us, this is one of the best ways to achieve it.

“Therefore, there is the need for the government to drastically cut the cost of governance, eliminate the overlapping of responsibilities to ensure that responsibilities are appropriately domiciled, increasing efficiency, effectiveness, increased productivity, national competitiveness, and international ranking.”

While calling on President Tinubu to review the contents of the report to ensure it aligned with the current day realities, Okon called for the inclusion of organised labour in the implementation process of the report to ensure credibility.

He said: “Now that it is imperative for the government to implement the Report, we call on President Bola Tinubu GCFR to reexamine the contents of the Report in line with the present National realities because the state of the nation 12 years ago when the Report birthed cannot be the same today. The government should ensure that the Acts establishing these Agencies of government are repealed before the implementation to forestall litigations.

“The government must as a matter of urgency do away with unnecessary and needless wastage of our scarce resources on frivolities, and deploy such funds to the critical areas of Education, Health, Transportation, Food Security, National Security and pulling people out of poverty. However, these should be done with due diligence because those who will be directly affected are mostly Civil Servants.

*Let me use this opportunity to call on the Constitution Review Committee to also consider either making the National Assembly operate on a part-time basis or making it a Uni-camera Legislature to cut the cost of governance because there are not many distinctive features between both Houses except for Confirmation of Ministers and other statutory compliance which could be addressed once the Constitution is amended.

“The National Assembly should stop further consideration of Bills for the establishment of Government Agencies to reduce wastages.

We call on the government to make a conscious effort to cushion the effect of this major overhaul on the workers to avoid bringing more people into hardship at this very challenging and trying time.

“Government should also carry out more enlightenment campaigns to educate the populace on the gains of implementing the Report. We also believe that the government should involve Organised Labour in the implementation process to ensure credibility. Finally, we warn that job loss at this critical time of our socio-economic challenges and food crisis would be a recipe for mass protest and industrial unrest.”

The House of Representatives on Thursday, February 29, established a 23-member committee to examine the suggested reorganization of federal government agencies following the Stephen Oronsaye report commissioned by the government.

President Bola Tinubu had ordered the full implementation of the report which recommended streamlining government agencies, scraping some agencies, and merging those with similar mandates.

Announcing the composition of the committee at the commencement of plenary, Speaker Abbas Tajudeen said the committee is to examine the recommendations of the executive arm of government and advise the House accordingly.

The speaker said the committee to be headed by the House Leader, Prof. Julius Ihonvbare, will also advise the House on appropriate steps to be taken to accommodate those that are likely to be affected by the restructuring exercise.

They are also to recommend appropriate measures to mitigate the likely outcome and fallout of the exercise as well as possible legislation to accommodate the exercise.

Members of the committee include Kabiru Tukura, Fatima Talba, Sani Umar, Oluwole Oke, Isiaba Ibrahim Ayokunle, Candice More Chukwugozie, Ademorin Kuye, Patrick Etaba, Aliyu Abdullahi and Yusuf Miga.

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The others are Abiola Makinde, Olumide Osoba, Adegboyega Adefarati, Yusuf Badau, Husseini Jallo, Patrick Umoh, Sunday Nnamchi, Igariwey Iduma, Sada Soli, Kabiru Ahmadi, Abubakar Hassan Fulata, Tolulope Akande Sadipe and Kafilat Ogbara.

However, following a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Kama Nkemkanma (LP, Ebonyi), Olumide Osoba (APC, Ogun) and Jonathan Gaza Gbefwi (SDP, Nasarawa), the House asked the President to review the Orosanye Report and the Goni Aji Report which reviewed the Orosanye Report as well as all the White Papers released on the report in line with current realities.

The House said the government should also consider implementable alternatives that are in tune with current realities, and which at the same time would have minimum unintended consequences, impacts, implications, and outcomes.

The House said further that the executive arm of government should develop and implement policies that will reposition the agricultural sector, the solid mineral sector, and the informal sectors which will serve as alternatives to those that may be laid off consequentially while at the same time spurring economic growth.

Moving the motion on behalf of the sponsors, Nkemkanma recalled that after their painstaking assignment, the Oronsaye Committee recommended the scrapping and merging of 220 out of the then-existing 541 government agencies.

He said that the Committee’s 800-page report noted that the government’s parastatals and agencies’ functions are overlapping and therefore recommended the reduction of statutory agencies from 263 to 161, the abolition of 38 agencies, the merger of 52 and the reversion of 14 to departments in ministries and the management audit of 89 agencies as well as the discontinuation of government funding of professional bodies/councils.

According to him, “the Oronsaye Report said then that if the committee’s recommendation was implemented, the government would be saving over N862 billion between 2012 and 2015 with a breakdown which showed that about N124.8 billion would be reduced from agencies proposed for abolition; about N100.6 billion from agencies proposed for mergers; about N6.6 billion from professional bodies; N489.9 billion from universities; N50.9 billion from polytechnics; N32.3 billion from colleges of education and N616 million from boards of federal medical centres.

He revealed that after the committee’s report, the White Paper committee set up by Jonathan’s administration rejected most of the recommendations, while those accepted were not implemented.

He maintained that in November 2021, the Buhari administration inaugurated two committees; one of the committees Chaired by Goni Aji, was to review the Orosanye report, and the second committee, chaired by Ama Pepple, which was to review agencies created between 2014 and 2021.

He expressed concern about the full implementation of a report 12 years after it was first made, which ordinarily may be described as outdated, especially because of how dynamic the society, economy, polity, technology, and all facets of our national life have been.

He argued that contrary to the assumption that the full implementation of the report would reduce the cost of governance, with the current realities, the full implementation of the report will not substantially reduce the cost of governance as it does not reflect the current situation in the Public Service of the Federation.

He argued that the full implementation of the 2012 Oronsaye report in 2024 will certainly throw up unintended consequences, implications, and outcomes and expressed commitment to supporting all positive actions and policies of the President Bola Tinubu administration which have minimum unintended consequences impacts, implications, and outcomes.

The House of Representatives on Thursday constituted a 23 man committee to study the proposed restructuring of Federal Government agencies in line with the Stephen Oronsaye report. 

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had ordered the full implementation of the report, which recommended streamlining government agencies, scraping of some agencies and merging those with similar mandate. 

Announcing the composition of the Committee at the commencement of plenary, Speaker, Abbas Tajudeen said the committee is to examine the recommendations of the Executive arm of government and advice the House accordingly. 

Read Also: Group lauds Tinubu on implementation of Oronsaye report

The Speaker said the Committee to be headed by the House Leader, Prof. Julius Ihonvbare, will also advise on appropriate steps to accommodate those that are likely to be affected by the restructuring exercise. 

They are also to recommend appropriate measures to mitigate the likely outcome and fallout of the exercise as well as possible legislation to accommodate the exercise. 

Members of the committee include Kabiru Tukura, Fatima Talba, Sani Umar, Oluwole Oke, Isiaba Ibrahim Ayokunle, Candice More Chukwugozie, Ademorin Kuye, Patrick Etaba, Aliyu Abdullahi and Yusuf Miga. 

The others are Abiola Makinde, Olumide Osoba, Adegboyega Adefarati, Yusuf Badau, Husseini Jallo, Patrick Umoh, Sunday Nnamchi, Igariwey Iduma, Sada Soli, Kabiru Ahmadi, Abubakar Hassan  Fulata, Tolulope Akande Sadipe and Kafilat Ogbara.