EXCLUSIVE: FG begins implementation of Oronsaye report, gives ministers 30 days to streamline agencies
The Federal Government may have quietly commenced the implementation of the much-talked about Steve Oronsaye Report on the restructuring of government agencies and departments.
More than a decade after the submission of the report, which many experts claim has been overtaken by time as some of its recommendations have become outdated, President Bola Tinubu has directed immediate implementation as part of the move to reduce the cost of governance.
About three months ago, the President set up a committee headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume to implement the report within 12 weeks.
More than a month after the expiration of that timeline, Western Post can now authoritatively report that the committee has begun its implementation.
A memo to one of the ministers signed by the SGF and glimpsed by our Correspondent instructed the minister to immediately dissolve the affected firms.
One of the affected firms is the Nigerian Films and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), which is now to be integrated as a department within the ministry, instead of operating as a separate federal agency.
The Federal Government conveyed this directive to the ministry as part of the report of the ongoing implementation committee for the restructuring and consolidation of the Federal Government parastatals, agencies, and commissions.
The directive was conveyed in a letter signed by George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) on June 21.
In February, Western Post Online had reported plans by the government to implement the 2014 Oronsaye report that would ensure the merging, scrapping and moving of several Ministry Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
However, the Federal Government had explained that the action would not result in loss of jobs by civil servants, saying the initiative was to ensure the reduction in the cost of governance by the President Bola Tinubu-led administration.
In 2011, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan established the Presidential Commission on Restructuring and Rationalisation of Federal Government Parastatals, Commissions, and Agencies, led by Stephen Oronsaye. Most of the reports’ substance was rejected due to its “objective” nature.
According to the letter, the Federal Government mandated the ministry to initiate all necessary administrative, and financial processes and procedures that will lead to the winding down of the NFVCB agency.
It said this change should happen within three weeks.
The ministry was also directed to issue a report on the transition of the NFVCB within the first month after becoming a department of the ministry.
“Accordingly, the Ministry of Art, Culture & Creative Economy is hereby mandated to initiate all necessary administrative/ financial processes and procedures that will lead to the winding down of the Nigerian Film and Video Censors Board and subsequent scrapping for It to function as a Department in the Ministry within three weeks of the receipt of this communication.
“The scrapping feedback should be made to the undersigned within the first 30 days of being a Department under the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture & Creative Economy.”
