President-elect, Bola Tinubu considers Oronsaye report, may merge govt agencies

President-elect, Bola Tinubu takes tough decisions when he assumes duty, may merge govt agencies

Some of the decisions he is likely to take include the implementation of the Stephen Oronsaye panel’s report on the reform of the civil service and the removal of the controversial fuel subsidy, which has become a drain on resources, job cuts, introduction of higher taxes, privatisation of public corporations and the sale of some government assets.

Tinubu had been impressing on his loyalists the need to take certain decisions that might be considered unpleasant in the short run, but pay off for the nation later.

Before the February 25, 2023 presidential election, Tinubu, who was then the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, had vowed to remove the fuel subsidy if was elected as it had constituted a huge drain on the government’s revenue.

A highly placed source told one of our correspondents on Saturday that the incoming President would merge some ministries and agencies of the Federal Government as recommended by the Oronsaye panel and would take tough decisions on other issues going by meetings that had been held by Tinubu and his core loyalists.

It was gathered that Tinubu had been meeting with some of his trusted aides on steps to reposition the country and that one of them was to take a critical look at the Oronsaye report.

The source said, “The report has been gathering dust at the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Nothing has been done to it.

“Even President Muhammadu Buhari, who promised to cut the cost of governance, couldn’t do anything about it. But the incoming government is likely to take a critical look at the report. You know he (Tinubu) is an accountant and he knows how to manage resources, increase revenue, and so forth.

“His meetings with trusted allies and those who are familiar with the economy will bring out the best for the country. He is not a novice in managing people and resources.

“So, I can conveniently tell you that some ministries are going to be merged. Nigeria should expect tough but meaningful decisions from the President-elect.”

Another source said the President-elect would appoint Nigerians from the Diaspora into his cabinet, which would likely not be populated by politicians as experienced under the outgoing government.

He said Tinubu had discussions with some Nigerians living outside the country during his recent travels, adding that the incoming President would put square pegs in square holes.

“He (Tinubu) won’t give ministries to people to manage based on patronage alone. He must have recognised capacity and ability in you before you can be appointed into key positions. That is the hallmark of this man that Nigerians have given the leadership of the country,” the source added.

The Special Adviser to the President-elect, Mr Dele Alake, disclosed that it would not take Tinubu up to 60 days to assemble a team of competent hands.

He had said, “I told you in an earlier interview that it didn’t take Asiwaju more than three weeks to form his cabinet as governor. That was as at that time. I think 60 days is even too much. A month, maximum, is enough for any serious government to form its cabinet and put a structure of government in place after the swearing-in.”

Former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011 set up the Presidential Committee on Restructuring and Rationalisation of Federal Government Parastatals, Commissions and Agencies under the chairmanship of Oronsaye.

The committee submitted an 800-page report on April 16, 2012, in which it uncovered a high level of competition among several overlapping agencies, which not only created ill feelings among government agencies, but also brought about unnecessary wastage in expenditure.

It also recommended, among other things, the discontinuation of government funding of professional bodies and councils to free funds for capital projects.

The Oronsaye report established that there are 541 Federal Government parastatals, commissions and 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 should be merged

The panel also recommended that 14 of the agencies should revert to departments in ministries.

The government later set up a White Paper Drafting Committee headed by the then Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, SAN, to study the recommendations and to produce a White Paper on the report.

When the White Paper was submitted, the government accepted about 10 percent of the recommendations and rejected the others.

The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), in November 2021 set up two committees to review the Oronsaye report and all new establishments set up after 2014. However, with less than a month to exit power, nothing has been done about it.