News
Oronsaye report implementation not abandoned — FG
The Federal Government, on Sunday, restated its commitment to the implementation of the Stephen Oronsaye report aimed at reducing the cost of governance through merging, scrapping and relocating departments and agencies.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who spoke to The PUNCH on Sunday, said work was still in progress on the report.
Idris said, “There is a progress on it. You recall it (the report) was handed to a special committee to review. That committee is still working on it. Once it is ready, it will be presented to the government.”
Similarly, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the committee was working within the 12-week deadline, which had not lapsed.
“It is still in progress. I believe you are aware that Akume’s committee was directed by the president to look into the report. They have not reported back to the FEC.
“The Federal Government has not put it on hold. It is something that is still on the table. Let us just wait for the Akume panel to finish working on the report,” Onanuga said.
The 800-page Oronsaye report recommended that of the 541 statutory and non-statutory Federal Government parastatals, agencies, and commissions, 263 statutory agencies should be reduced to 161, 38 agencies abolished, 52 agencies merged, and 14 other ones should revert to departments in ministries.
Though the report was submitted to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan by the then Head of the Civil Service, Oronsaye in 2014, a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, rejected most of the recommendations.
In 2021, ex-President Muhammadu Buhari came up with a different approach by establishing two committees to review the report and the government’s white paper. While the second committee was to review MDAs established between 2014 and 2022, the former was headed by former Head of Service, Bukar Aji, and the latter by Ama Pepple.
In 2022, another white paper committee was created by a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation; Boss Mustapha, to examine the report of the Ama Pepple-led committee headed by Ebele Okeke. At the end of the drama, there was nothing to show that the Buhari administration was determined to implement until it left office.
In February 2024, the administration of President Bola Tinubu launched interest in the report and by March 8, the president set up an eight-member committee to look at the report, the White Paper and recommend its implementation and report back in 12 weeks.
The committee has the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume as chairman; Head of the Civil Service, Folashade Yemi-Esan; Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu; and Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, Lateef Fagbemi; Director-General of Bureau of Public Service Reform, Dasuki Arabi; among others as members.
News
Watch current episode of Your family Lawyer as Chinye breaks down intricacies of bloodlines, DNA tests
Again, Chuma Chinye a seasoned lawyer in last Saturday’s podcast of Your family Lawyer adequately thrashed out intricacies associated with DNA tests and bloodlines in family matters.
WATCH:
Protests erupted in Jos, the Plateau State capital, on Monday morning over the continued killings of indigenous residents by gunmen suspected to be Fulani militants.
The demonstrations, led by Christian leaders including the state chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. Polycarp Lubo, commenced on Monday morning at the Fawvwei Junction community road, causing a heavy gridlock and stranding commuters.
The latest protest comes amid a surge in violent attacks by gunmen in various communities, with over 100 people killed in Bokkos and Bassa LGAS in the past two weeks.
“We are not happy over the continuous attacks and killings by gunmen in our communities. That’s why we have come out again to protest these happenings,” said Gyang Dalyop, one of the protesters.
Another protester, Hannatu Philip, called on the government to intervene before it spirals out of control.
The protesters brandishing placards with different inscriptions were seen marching towards the Rayfield Government House.
The Presidency has said the former Labour Party, LP, presidential running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed is no match for President Bola Tinubu.
Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare was reacting to Datti’s remark that he (Tinubu) would not run for the presidency in 2027.
The former LP running mate insisted that Tinubu’s time is up, adding that everything is there for the president and the ruling All Progressives Party, APC, to see that they lose in 2027.
Dismissing such remark, Dare likened Datti’s comment to the new year predictions of charlatan ‘prophets’ which never come through.
In a statement he signed, Dare said the likes of Peter Obi and Datti would have been president left for the latter’s theories.
According to Dare, Datti has chosen to venture into an unfamiliar terrain.
The statement reads partly: “Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed’s “illogical logic” was all over the place in his recent interview with a television channel.
“Listening to Yusuf Datti Baba- Ahmed spurn his postulations about the political future of Nigeria and that of the incumbent President is like listening to the new year predictions of charlatan ‘prophets’ which never come through. Yusuf Baba Ahmed and his co-traveller Peter Obi are indeed a “double whammy“ in the Nigerian political space.
“He chose to base his political calculations on President Bola Tinubu not winning a second term given his antecedents and because Nigerians will decide at the polls among other things. He conveniently avoided the substance of performance and capacity.
“Unfortunately, he chose to walk into a lane he was unfamiliar with and chose to confront a politician he is no match for.”
Similarly, the Presidency had also stressed that Tinubu will reveal his plans for a second term at the right time.
It said the APC 2027 presidential campaign billboards had no links to Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
-
News9 hours agoBREAKING! Pope Francis is dead
-
News14 hours agoRetirees with outstanding loans may lose property – FG
-
News6 hours ago
UPDATED: How Pope Francis transited, last activity, health challenges, others
-
News23 hours agoIsrael’s remote controlled bulldozers breaking ground in Gaza war
-
News14 hours agoSad as hotelier slumps, dies at wife’s 60th birthday thanksgiving
-
News23 hours ago70-hour Chess Marathon: Onakoya reportedly breaks record set by Norwegians
-
Metro14 hours ago77-year-old Nigerian Uber driver shot dead in US, passenger in critical condition
-
News9 hours agoFemi Ojudu: We Understand His Bitterness Being A Political Coupist– Lere Olayinka bombs Ojudu over comment on wike