Reps panel invites Akume, Yemi-Esan over implementation of Oronsaye report

An ad-hoc committee of the House of Representatives on the restructuring of government agencies and commissions has called on the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. George Akume, to shed light on the decision to implement the Dr Steve Oronsaye report.

Also to appear before the lawmakers, alongside stakeholders from ministries, departments, and agencies of government (MDAs) and the public, is the Head of Service of the Federation, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, to share their views on the issue on July 10, 2024.

The Chairman of the committee, Mr. Ibrahim Isiaka, at a press conference held at the National Assembly complex in Abuja on Tuesday, insisted that it is only the National Assembly that is empowered to review, repeal or legislate on the establishment of MDAs.

Faulting the notion that the National Assembly is being influenced to halt the decision to scrap or merge some agencies of government, he maintained that the exercise being embarked upon is in tandem with the quest to strengthen the functions of the MDAs.

The Ogun State-born lawmaker ruled out the possibility of the committee inflicting job losses on workers.

He said: “Any agency of government, ministries, departments, or parastatals that is created by an act of parliament, no man can add A or remove A except through the National Assembly. It is either going to come through an amendment, repeal, reenactment, or enactment.

“So if that is the standard practice or position of the law, there is no point in anybody trying to lobby anyone because whatever we do will still be subjected to the concurrence of the Senate. So there is no shortcut. There is no point in insinuating that anyone would be going behind to lobby anyone.

“The work of legislation is a growing process. One thing we should not forget, some agencies were created with certain exigencies of time in the past. Perhaps, some of them have outlived their functions, and it is the duty of the National Assembly to review. If it is to strengthen them and look for more functions for them, so be it.

“We cannot stop the engine of the country from moving because we are reviewing activities of the past. The world is not waiting for anyone. As the world evolves, we are moving along that same line. So you are not going to say we should stop the function of the National Assembly from establishing any new commission or agency so far it is in tandem with the position of the government and public.

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“We are going to ensure that people do not lose their jobs. That will not come up. What we are doing is just to avoid duplication. We need to delineate all these. It is not about driving people out of their jobs. The Head of Service and Secretary to the Government of the Federation are going to be at the public hearing. We are not asked to rationalise work in ministries, departments, and agencies, and that is what we are about to do to the best of our ability.

“It is imperative for us to revisit the recommendations of the Oronsaye Report and other pertinent white papers to ensure that we are aligning our government structures with current realities, best practices, and the changing needs of our society. The world is evolving rapidly, and it is crucial that our government agencies and commissions are structured in a way that enables them to deliver on their mandates effectively and efficiently.

“Through this review process, we aim to identify redundancies, duplications, inefficiencies, and areas of improvement within the federal government agencies and commissions. Our goal is to apply the legislative approach in streamlining operations, eliminating duplication of functions, enhancing service delivery, and optimising resource allocation.

“This review will be comprehensive, taking into cognizance the diverse perspectives and expertise available to us. We acknowledge the importance of stakeholder engagement in this process, and we will be seeking input from various stakeholders, including government officials and the general public.”