Group lauds Tinubu over proposed implementation of Oronsaye report

A group campaigning for positive political change and gender parity, The Transformation Ambassadors (TTA) has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the implementation of recommendations of Steve Oronsaye on the restructuring and rationalisation of federal agencies, parastatals, and commissions.

The Oronsaye panel of 2014 recommended the scrapping, relocation, merger, subsuming of some Agencies and parastatal of the Federal Government to achieve reduction in the cost of governance.

According to the Director of the group, Dr Femi Omojuwa, Nigeria operates an bloated federal civil service which has an adverse effect of the cost of running the government thereby breeding corruption in the civil service.

He opined that the implementation of the recommendations of Oronsaye panel will enhance efficiency in the Federal service and reduce the cost of governance, while also ensuring national growth and development.

He however called for the prosecution of heads of MDAs that have been investigated of looting and misappropriation of funds in Federal Agencies and Parastatal by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC),

This, according to him, is necessary to bring sanity to civil service and also recover all the stolen funds by these public officers.

He said, “The implementation of the recommendations of Oronsaye panel reports by President Bola Tinubu is a step in the right direction.

“The recommendations if implemented will see to the merger, relocation and scrapping of some of the agencies that are redundant. For instance, the report recommended that the National Theatre and the National Troupe be merged together. This will not only reduce the cost of running the parastatal but it will address the issues of looting and misappropriation of funds that has been going on for years at the National Theatre.

“We have read in the news of how various groups at the parastatal have alerted the ICPC of corruption at the National Theatre but we have not seen or heard of any of the indicted public officers being brought to justice or prosecuted.

“It is worrisome how the ICPC is foot-dragging in prosecuting indicted officers. So at the President begins the implementation of recommendations of Steve Oronsaye panel report, this will give birth to new agencies and parastatals.

“I therefore want to suggest to the president to ensure those that any head of MDA standing trial or is being investigated is not appointed or reappointed to occupy any of these offices.

We want a new lease of lives for Nigerians and positive transformation both in government and in the lives of Nigerians.”