House of Representatives
According to a report by PUNCH on Wednesday, July 3, 2024, the House of Representatives Special Ad Hoc Committee on Restructuring of Government Agencies and Commissions has commenced the process of reviewing the recommendations of the Steve Oronsaye Report.
This report, which was submitted to the Federal Government in 2012, aims to reduce the cost of governance through the merging, scrapping, and relocation of various government departments and agencies.
The Oronsaye Report identified a total of 541 statutory and non-statutory Federal Government parastatals, commissions, and agencies.
On February 26, 2024, during a Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu, the decision was made to implement the report’s recommendations.
This decision was communicated by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, highlighting the government's commitment to reducing the cost of governance.
According to the recommendations, 29 government agencies are to be merged, while eight parastatals will be subsumed into eight other agencies.
Additionally, four agencies will be relocated to various ministries, and one agency has been marked for scrapping.
The FEC has mandated a committee, headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, to review the report and submit further recommendations.
On Tuesday, addressing journalists at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, Committee Chairman Isiaka Ayokunle emphasized the importance of reviewing the Oronsaye 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.”
Ayokunle highlighted that the rapid evolution of the world necessitates the restructuring of government agencies and commissions to enable them to deliver 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 of improvement within Federal Government agencies and commissions through this review.
He stated, “Our goal is to apply the legislative approach in streamlining operations, eliminate duplication of functions, enhance service delivery, and optimize resource allocation.”
The committee chairman assured that the review would be comprehensive and thorough, considering the diverse perspectives and expertise available.
He also emphasized the importance of stakeholder engagement in the process, calling for input from government officials, experts, civil society organizations, and the general public.
A one-day public hearing on the matter is scheduled to be held on July 10 in Abuja, where various stakeholders will have the opportunity to present their views and contributions.