The House of Representatives Special Ad Hoc Committee on the Restructuring of Government Agencies and Commissions has officially initiated the review process for the Steve Oronsanye Report, a significant document on public sector reform.
The Steve Oronsanye Report, submitted to the Federal Government in 2012, was designed to address the inefficiencies in Nigeria’s public sector by recommending a series of measures aimed at reducing the cost of governance. These measures included merging, scrapping, or relocating various government departments and agencies. The 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 meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu, the decision was made to move forward with the implementation of the Oronsaye Report’s recommendations. Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, announced that the FEC had approved the steps necessary to reduce governance costs as outlined in the report.
The Oronsaye Report’s recommendations include the merging of 29 government agencies, the integration of eight parastatals into other existing agencies, the relocation of four agencies to new ministries, and the scrapping of one agency altogether. In response, the FEC has tasked a committee led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, with reviewing the report and providing further recommendations.
On Tuesday, at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, Isiaka Ayokunle, the chairman of the House of Representatives Special Ad Hoc Committee, explained the necessity of revisiting the Oronsaye Report.
“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 stated.
He continued, “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.”
Representing the Ifo/Ewekoro Federal Constituency of Ogun State, Ayokunle emphasized that the committee’s review aims to identify and address redundancies, inefficiencies, and areas for improvement within federal government agencies.
“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 cognisance the diverse perspectives and expertise available to us,” he said.
Ayokunle also acknowledged the significance of stakeholder engagement in this process, announcing that a one-day public hearing would be held on July 10 in Abuja to gather input from government officials, experts, civil society organisations, and the general public.
