President Bola Tinubu has set his sights on reforming Nigeria’s bloated bureaucracy with the long-dormant Oronsaye report.
The 12-year-old document was crafted under former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration in a committee headed by Steve Oronsaye, a former head of civil service.
However, the report was largely ignored by Jonathan’s administration, which only set up a white paper committee that rejected most of the recommendations.
It was also shelved by the Muhammadu’s Buhari administration, which partially implemented a few of the recommendations.
Tinubu’s decision, announced after the Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja, on Monday, January 26, seeks to streamline governance and redirect resources toward development initiatives.
A statement signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Dele Alake Tinubu stated that the implementation involves merging, subsuming, and scrapping agencies with similar functions.
Some of the agencies that would be affected by the implementation of the Oronsaye report include the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), which would be merged into one anti-corruption agency; the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), which would be merged into one communications regulatory agency; the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), the Nomadic Education Commission (NEC), and the National Mass Literacy Commission (NMLC), which would be brought under one education agency; and the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), and the Voice of Nigeria (VON), which would be under one management.
After the announcement, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, told the press that the president had taken “a bold and courageous” decision in the interest of Nigeria.
He reiterated that the implementation of the Oronsaye report would reduce the cost of governance, eliminate wastage and corruption, and enhance service delivery and accountability, noting that a committee had been set up to oversee the implementation process within 12 weeks.
As much as implementation of the Oronsaye report is expected to have positive impacts on the economy by freeing up funds for capital projects, reduce recurrent expenditure, and create a leaner and more efficient public sector, it may also face some challenges and resistance.
The resistance is expected to come from many stakeholders, such as the heads and staff of the affected agencies, the professional bodies and councils, the legislators who oversee agencies, and the contractors and consultants who benefit from the agencies.
The implementation may also raise some legal and constitutional issues, as some of the agencies were established by acts of parliament, and may require legislative amendments or repeals to be scrapped or merged.
Some critics have expressed the sustainability of the implementation, given the complex and dynamic nature of the Nigerian society and economy.
Some have also warned that the implementation may have negative effects on the quality and diversity of public services, as well as the social and cultural fabric of the country.
