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Sets up 8-man implementation panel
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Rules out job losses
By Egena Sunday Ode
The Federal Government has scrapped the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) and directed that its functions be taken over by the Federal Ministry of Finance.
Several other agencies and departments with similar functions have either been merged or subsumed as the Federal Executive Council (FEC), presided over by President Bola Tinubu approved the implementation of the Steve Oronsaye Committee Report on Rationalization of Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government submitted in 2012.
At a post FEC press briefing on Wednesday, Special Adviser to the President, Hadiza Bala Usman, who read out the decision of the cabinet noted that the scrap, merger of agencies and departments in line with the Oransoye report was intended to reduce the cost of governance.
However, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris quickly clarified that despite the intent of the reforms, there would be no job losses.
The Presidential Adviser also announced that an eight-member panel has been set up for the full implementation of the reforms.
The Special Adviser said: “The Council in order to enhance efficiency in the Federal service, and reduce the cost of governance, decided to implement the recommendations of the Steve Oronsaye panel on the restructuring and rationalisation of Federal agencies, parastatals and commissions.
“The implementation involves merging, subsuming and scrapping agencies with similar functions.
“The Oronsaye report was submitted in 2012 to the Jonathan administration. In 2014, the Jonathan government released a white paper on the report. The Buhari administration after re-examining the white paper also released a second white paper in August 2022, but did not implement the report.
“However, the Tinubu administration has decided to confront the monster of high governance cost by implementing elements of the report.
“An eight-man committee has a 12-week deadline to ensure that the necessary legislative amendments and administrative restructuring needed to implement the reforms are effected in an efficient manner.
“The committee comprises Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Head of the Civil Service, Attorney General and Justice Minister, Budget and Planning Minister, DG Bureau of Public Service Reform, Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination, Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly. The Cabinet Affairs Office will serve as the secretariat,” she said.
The recommendations approved by FEC which are expected to be implemented within 12 weeks are:
“National Salaries, Income and wages Commission to be subsumed under Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission. The National Assembly will need to amend the constitution as RMAFC was established by the constitution.
“Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission to be merged with Bureau of Public Enterprise and be rechristened as `Public Enterprises and Infrastructural Concession Commission
“National Human Rights Commission to swallow Public Complaints Commission
“Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate(PTAD) to be scrapped and functions to be taken over by Federal Ministry of Finance
“NEMA and National Commission for Refugees to be fused to become National Emergency and Refugee Management Commission
“Border Communities Development Agency to become a department under National Boundary Commission
“NACA and NCDC to be merged
“SERVICOM to become a department under the Bureau for Public Service Reform(BPSR)
“NALDA to return to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
“Federal Ministry of Science to supervise a new agency that combines NCAM, NASENI and PRODA
“National Commission for Museums and Monuments and National Gallery of Arts to become one entity that will be known as National Commission for Museums, Monuments and Gallery of Arts.
“National Theatre to be merged with National Troupe.
“Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa and Directorate of Technical Aid Corp to be merged under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
“Nigerians in Diaspora Commission to become an agency under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Federal Radio Corporation and Voice of Nigeria to be one entity to be known as Federal Broadcasting Corporation of Nigeria
“National Biotechnology Development Agency(NABDA) and National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology to be emerged into an agency to be known as National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency(NBRDA).
“National Institute for Leather Science Technology and National Institute for Chemical Technology to become one agency.
“Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency and National Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development to become one agency.
“The National Metallurgical Development Centre and National Metallurgical Training Institute will be merged.
“National Institute for Trypanosomiasis to be subsumed under Institute of Veterinary Research in Vom, Jos.”
Also speaking at the briefing, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Edu disclosed that FEC gave approval for
social security payments to the vulnerable households to begin immediately. According to him, recipients will be those with NIN and BVN.
