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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.
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Video: Watch moment Senator Manu tasks NAFDAC officials on poor budget presentation
The Senator representing Taraba Central, Manu Haruna white washed officials of NAFDAC for poor budget presentation during 2025 budget defense on Friday.
In a video, Senator Manu a former Deputy Governor of Taraba State opened the underbelly of NAFDAC on improper presentation of figures in the outlines.
He pointedly told the officials that the presentation was designed to mislead senators.
Watch video below:
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Why I returned N100m excess fund to Kano Govt Commissioner
The Kano State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Tajo Othman, who was recently in the news for returning N100 million excess fund to the state government, has revealed the reason behind his action.
The commissioner while addressing newsmen in Kano on Friday said his action was influenced by the state governor’s “exemplary leadership style,” adding that in an ideal situation, leaders are always a pace setter for others to follow.
He said he did not expect Governor Kabir Abba Yusuf to reveal the act to the public, but the governor chose to do so during the flag-off of the free uniform distribution to encourage the future generation to be transparent.
He said, “In an ideal governance setting, the leader is a pace setter for others to follow. We have seen the governor’s body language and as such we fall in. That is what exactly happened. it is the wish of the governor that everybody should be as transparent as possible.
“He is a transparent governor and therefore we should be transparent as well. I never expected the governor to go public with it, but I believe the reason behind his announcement is indeed genuine.”
The commissioner added that as the head of the committee for school uniform distribution, the state governor entrusted him with the task and advised the committee to execute it to the best of their ability.
The commissioner who was a retired customs officer was in the news when the Governor Yusuf publicly commended him for returning N100 million in unspent funds from a N2 billion budget earmarked for the production of 798,000 uniforms for pupils of primary 1 in the state.
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Nigerian Online Population Shows Strong Enthusiasm for AI – Report
A new global survey report from Ipsos and Google has shown widespread use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools among Nigerian online population.
The study, tagged: “Our Life with AI: From Innovation to Application,” surveyed 21,000 people across 21 countries, and observed that global AI usage has jumped to 48 per cent and excitement about its potential now exceeds concerns (57 per cent vs. 43 per cent, up from 50 per cent / 50 per cent last year).
According to the report, in Nigeria, AI adoption and enthusiasm are even higher, as 70 per cent of the Nigerian online population used generative AI, surpassing the 48 per cent global average. Moreover, 87 per cent are excited about AI’s potential and see its benefits outweighing the risks.
Analysing the report, President of Global Affairs, Google & Alphabet, Kent Walker, said: “AI is starting to deliver magic at scale, making people’s lives easier and better. The survey results show the more people use these tools, the more excited they get about the possibilities and about the personal, professional, and scientific breakthroughs on the way.”
The survey results indicate that optimism about AI is growing within the surveyed online community in Nigeria. Key findings from the survey, show that among survey participants in Nigeria, 70 per cent reported using generative AI in the past year, which is significantly higher than the global average of 48 per cent. A substantial 87 per cent of Nigerian respondents feel that AI’s potential benefits outweigh the associated risks, suggesting a strong belief in the positive impact of AI. A significant 81 per cent of surveyed Nigerian adults believe AI will positively change the economy.
Furthermore, 90 per cent of the survey respondents in Nigeria anticipate AI having a positive impact on science and medicine, demonstrating the widespread belief in the potential of AI to drive progress in these sectors.
According to the report, Nigeria’s online population demonstrates a higher level of excitement and adoption of AI when compared to other regions. The survey indicates: Nigeria is among the top countries in terms of AI usage and excitement about its potential.
This contrasts with more cautious sentiment in some European and North American countries.
The report also said the Nigerian online community saw immense potential for AI in science and medical advancements:
“A significant 90 per cent of survey respondents expect AI to have a positive impact on science and medicine. This is one of the highest rates globally, highlighting the strong anticipation of breakthroughs in these fields through AI,” the report said, and onlinerd that the population in Nigeria recognised AI’s potential to enhance personal and professional development:
“Many believe AI can make people’s lives better by boosting productivity and providing access to resources. Within the Nigerian online population surveyed, there is a prevailing sentiment that supports the fostering of AI advancement rather than restrictive regulations. This suggests that those surveyed are keen to embrace innovation,” the report further said.
The survey results highlight the strong enthusiasm and optimism of the surveyed online population in Nigeria about the role of AI in various aspects of life, particularly in the economy, healthcare, and scientific advancement. The findings suggest that Nigeria’s online community is among the most enthusiastic globally about the transformative potential of AI.
Google has been pursuing AI boldly and responsibly for years. In 2018, Google was one of the first companies to establish AI Principles grounded in beneficial use and avoidance of harm. Two years ago, it unveiled its opportunity agenda, which shard concrete recommendations for governments to ensure AI benefits the broadest range of people possible.
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