The House of Representatives Special Ad Hoc Committee on Restructuring of Government Agencies and Commissions has begun reviewing the recommendations of the Steve Oronsaye Report.

Submitted to the Federal Government in 2012, the report aims to reduce the cost of governance by merging, scrapping, and relocating certain government departments and agencies.

The report on public sector reforms identified 541 federal government parastatals, commissions, and agencies, both statutory and non-statutory.

In February, the Federal Executive Council, FEC, chaired by President Bola Tinubu, approved the implementation of the Steve Oronsaye Report to reduce the cost of governance, as stated by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.

The report recommends merging 29 government agencies and subsuming eight parastatals into eight other agencies. Additionally, four agencies have been reassigned to various ministries, and one agency is set to be scrapped.

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

Speaking on Tuesday, July 2, at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, the committee chairman, Isiaka Ayokunle, emphasized the importance of reviewing the report.

He stated, “We must revisit the recommendations of the Oronsaye Report and other relevant white papers to ensure that our government structures align with current realities, best practices, and the changing needs of our society.”

The lawmaker further added, “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, who represents the Ifo/Ewekoro Federal Constituency of Ogun State, noted that the committee aims to identify redundancies, duplications, inefficiencies, and areas for improvement within Federal Government agencies and commissions through the review.

“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 cognisance the diverse perspectives and expertise available to us,” he said.

Ayokunle said, “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.”

He added that the committee will hold a one-day public hearing on the matter on July 10 in Abuja.