Twelve years after The Steve Oronsaye Panel submitted its report on restructuring and rationalizing Federal government parastatal and agencies aimed at cutting down on the cost of governance in Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu gave a nod to the implementation of the report on Monday, February 26, 2024. A committee that will execute the report has been set up.
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From the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, who set up the panel to Muhammadu Buhari’s government, which set up several committees to review the recommendations, but never implemented any of them, to Tinubu’s presidency, here is the time of the Oronsaye Cost of Governance report:
August 2011
The Presidential Committee on Restructuring and Rationalisation of Federal Government Parastatal, Commissions, and Agencies was set up by then-President Goodluck Jonathan. The panel was headed by the former Head of Civil Service, Stephen Oronsaye.
April 2012
The Oronsaye report was submitted, revealing the existence of 541 statutory and non-statutory Federal Government parastatal, commissions, and agencies.
It recommended that 263 statutory agencies should be reduced to 161, submitted that 38 agencies should be scrapped, recommended that 52 agencies should merged, while 14 agencies should be reverted to departments within ministries, and transferring the functions of the National Salaries and Wages Commission.
March 2014
A committee submitted its White Paper on the Report to President Jonathan.
May 2014
White Paper Implementation Committee was inaugurated by the Jonathan administration. But nothing was heard about it. So the government only gave a directive to the implementation, but was never implemented.
March 2016
Barely a year after Buhari assumed office, he reconstituted the Implementation Committee
Sep 2019
Buhari directed a review of the Report for implementation
April 2020
Hit by revenue shortfall due to falling oil prices during the COVID-19 pandemic, President Muhammadu Buhari convened a committee to consider the report’s recommendations for implementation to reduce the cost of governance.
November 2021
The Federal Government under The Buhari administration inaugurated two committees on the report.
One was chaired by retired Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Goni Aji, to review the Oronsaye report and its White Paper.
The second committee, which was chaired by another former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Ms. Amal Pepple, to review agencies created from 2014 till date.
July 2022
Still under Buhari, the government convened another committee headed by a former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Ebele Okeke, to produce a white paper on the reports.
August 2022
The Okeke-led committee presented the White Paper to the then Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.
December 2022
Despite the Oronsaye report’s recommendations, the Senate proposes the establishment of 376 new agencies and institutions, highlighting a significant increase in government size contrary to the report’s advice for reduction and consolidation.
January 2023
It was reported that Buhari would not be able to implement the White Paper because it was being reviewed by the National Assembly before it comes to Federal Executive Council (FEC).
February 2024
President Bola Tinubu charges senior civil service officials to work towards a modern, efficient civil service.
February 26, 2024
President Bola Tinubu directed the full implementation of the Oransaye report within a 12-week timeline by setting up an 8-man implement committee.
The implementation committee members are:
- The Secretary to the Government of the Federation: George Akume
- Head of the Civil Service: Folashade Yemi-Esan
- Attorney General and Justice Minister: Lateef Fagbemi
- Budget and Planning Minister: Abubakar Atiku Badugu
- DG Bureau of Public Service Reform: Dasuki Ibrahim Arabi
- Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination: Hadiza Bala Usman
- Special assistant to the president on National Assembly
- The Cabinet Affairs Office will serve as the secretariat
