Nigeria’s upper legislative body, the Senate, has proposed the establishment of 376 new agencies and institutions despite moves by the Federal Government to restructure the public service in line with the Steve Oronsaye Committee Report on Restructuring and Rationalisation of Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
The Oronsanya’s report recommended the scrapping or merging of some ministries, departments and agencies in order to reduce the cost of governance.
A white paper committee set up by the Federal Government to review the parastatals, agencies and commissions created since 2014 submitted a draft report in August.
Also in November 2021, the Federal Government inaugurated sub-committees headed by former heads of service of the federation, Bukar Aji, Ama Pepple and Oladapo Afolabi , on the implementation of the Oronsaye Report, while the Ebele Okeke Committee was to draft a White Paper on the Ama Pepple Committee Report and harmonise the other committee reports.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, had said that the Federal Government would soon conclude the process of restructuring the public service.
But findings have revealed that the Ahmed Lawan led 9th Senate has passed a total of 1,070 bills, including 376 establishment bills for the creation of various institutions and agencies.
This is in spite of the economic challenges facing the country.
Some of these establishment bills have been passed while others have moved to committee levels in defiance of the recommendations of the Oronsaye report.
Among those that sponsored the bills are Senator Sabi Abdullahi. Senator Abdullahi Yahaya, Senator Jibril Barau, Senator Francis Alimikhena, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, Senator Yau Sahabi. Senator Ibikunle Amosun and Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, among many others.