The Federal Executive Council may approve the scrapping of 220 out of 541 federal parastatals, commissions and agencies by the time it concludes discussion on the draft White Paper on the report of the Stephen Oronsaye-led Presidential Committee on the Rationalisation and Restructuring of Federal Government Parastatals, Commissions and Agencies, which it started on Wednesday.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, told journalists at the end of the meeting presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan that the council began a review of the draft White Paper produced based on the report.

This confirmed The PUNCH's exclusive report on Monday that work had been concluded on the White Paper and that it was ready for presentation to FEC for deliberation.

Abati was joined at the post-FEC press briefing by the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina; Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe; and the Minister of Mines and Steel, Mr. Mohammed Sada.

The presidential spokesman, who said there was no cause for anxiety in the government's bid to restructure for efficiency, said a White Paper Drafting Committee set up by the President accepted only 321 out of the 541 federal parastatals, commissions and agencies considered by the Oronsaye committee.

"The Oronsaye Committee considered suggestions, recommendations from different quarters and in total, that committee looked at 541 federal parastatals, commissions and agencies. The white paper drafting committee, out of that, accepted 321; noted some recommendations and rejected some," the presidential spokesman said.

He said the discussion by council members on the draft would continue during the next meeting.

He said the exercise was not aimed at pushing anybody out of employment but to restructure in such a way that would make the government more efficient.

Abati said, "At the end of the day, FEC will take final decision on this recommendation and when that is done, the White Paper will be made public. I don't think we should jump the gun, the thing to note is that all of this is being done to ensure efficiency, to reduce the cost of government, to avoid leakages and wastages and to make government far more effective in delivering quality service to Nigerians.

"This is not targeted at pushing anybody out of work, this is not an exercise in making life difficult for anybody. This is just government restructuring for better level of efficiency. People should not be unduly anxious.

"You can be assured that now that it is at the level of the FEC, work will be completed on it very quickly, the White Paper will be released and it will be implemented accordingly."

Adesina said FEC also approved a National Fertilizer Draft Bill, which is aimed at ensuring quality control in fertilizer production as the country continues to make progress in its bid to export the commodity to neighbouring countries.


http://www.punchng.com/news/oronsaye-report-fg-may-scrap-220-agencies-others/

Its about time!

gregtochi: Its about time!

Yeah, about time ghost and ineffective parastatals are scrapped. How did it get to 541 parastastals? What input are those parastastals to national developments Such parastastals are just money and revenue wasting conduits managed jealously by unscrupulous DGs, Ministers etc. Scrapped them abeg make we get sanity but somehow minimize job loss by redeploying affected workers to other meaningful parastastals where their services are needed..

Why do we have 541 MDAs in the first place ? The simple truth is that the failure of the ministries led to the formation of department,the failure of departments led to the formation of agenies while the failure of agencies led to the formation of committes.

This shows duplication of functions and serves as avenue to steal public funds.However while this is going on,I hope someone can tell the politicians to set up a committe to review the size of their political appointees too cuz I see no reason why a state governor should have a special adviser,senior special assistant,special assistant,personal assistant for each of the sector of his state's economy.

All na talk, no action!

This is VERY SWEET music to my ears. About time. Continue to reduce Cost of Governance and restructure the machinery of Govt to only what is Necessary.... GEJ is TRANSFORMING this nation in very Fundamental ways, bits by bits. God's speed, Mr President...

16250 people will loose their jobs in the so called transformation...if Mr GEJ wants to reduce cost, he should start with his food (over a billon naira) nd other aso rock amenities (newspaper is bought a 250 per one)

bappahman: 16250 people will loose their jobs in the so called transformation...if Mr GEJ wants to reduce cost, he should start with his food (over a billon naira) nd other aso rock amenities (newspaper is bought a 250 per one)

Wudn't it be better if some of u just keep yr mouths SHUT, permanently if need be, rather than opening them and removing every doubt of your.....