A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Uche Nwosu, has commended President Bola Tinubu for his political will to implement the recommendations of the Steve Oronsaye-led panel.
The Oronsaye-led panel was set up by former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration and submitted its report on April 16, 2012, to restructure and rationalise federal agencies, parastatals and commissions.
Mr Nwosu, the president-general of Ugwumba Leadership Centre for Africa Development, said in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja that implementing the report would reposition the federal civil service for better productivity.
He said by accepting the advice of the Federal Executive Council on the report, Mr Tinubu proved himself to be a cerebral and decisive leader poised to return Nigeria to the path of growth by cutting the cost of governance.
“FEC’s decision was informed by the need to enhance efficiency in the federal service and reduce the cost of governance while ensuring national growth and development.
“I believe strongly that Tinubu’s position would bring to an end the delay in activating the spirit of the document which was submitted since the year 2012 by Jonathan’s administration,’’ he said.
Mr Nwosu regretted that since 2014, the Jonathan administration released a white paper on the report, after re-examining it, the Buhari regime only released a second white paper in August 2022 without implementing the report.
He said it was very cheering that Mr Tinubu took the bull by the horns to announce the implementation of the report, saying, “I expect the eight-man committee, which has a 12-week deadline, to hit the ground running.’’
Mr Nwosu advised the committee to ensure that the necessary legislative amendments and administrative restructuring needed to implement the reforms were effected efficiently.
“Nigeria operates one of the world’s most over-bloated federal civil service structures, and only visionary leadership in the class of Tinubu could face (sic) the bull by the horns to do the needful,” Mr Nwosu said.
The Oronsaye report recommended the merging and scrapping of some agencies, commissions and parastatals of the federal government performing similar functions.
(NAN)
