Oronsaye report: Presidency to set up implentation committee

President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday directed establishment of a White Paper implementation committee on the report of Presidential Committee on the Restructuring and Rationalisation of Government Parastatals, Commissions and Agencies.

The Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, made the disclosure after the Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by the president.

Maku said the committee, to be approved by the president, would ensure prompt implementation of the White Paper released on the report on Monday.

“Today in Council, the president said he will be moving ahead as quickly as possible to ensure the implementation of the white paper.

“One thing that has become a recurring observation has been the cost of governance under the new democracy and the Federal Government is very serious to bring down the cost.

“Today, the president directed the SGF to begin to put up a committee for his approval, that will work on the actual merger of those agencies that have been accepted to merge to bring down cost of governance,” he said.

The minister explained that besides saving cost, the approved rationalisation would improve efficiency, enhance productivity and service delivery.

“We discover that some of the agencies that have been doing overlapping functions, apart from the wasteful expenses, they become less effective.

“But, when you synergise their efforts and expertise, they will do better,” he said.

The rationalisation committee, headed by a former Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mr Stephen Oronsaye, in its report submitted on April 16, 2012, recommended a reduction in the number of Federal Government agencies from 263 to 161.

The government rejected some of the recommendations, such as the merger of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission and Code of Conduct Bureau.

It, however, accepted the recommendation for National Poverty Eradication Programme and Fiscal Responsibility Commission be scrapped.

The government also accepted that Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency be merged to form Federal Civil Aviation Authority.