Finally, FG Adopts Oronsanye Committee Report, Scraps NAPEP, FRC

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Rejects EFCC, ICPC merger; Also NTA,FRCN,VON .
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Merges NAMA, NCAA, NIMET SAN FRANCISCO, April 07, (THEWILL) -  The Federal Government has finally adopted the Report of the Steve Oronsanye-led Presidential Committee on Restructuring and Rationalisation of Federal Government Parastatals, Commissions and Agencies but with some modifications.

Oronsanye is a former Head of Civil Service and had presided over the Committee set up by the Federal Government.

The report of the Committee was submitted to the Federal Government on April 16 , 2012.

But on Monday, the Federal Government accepted the recommendations of the Committee for the scrapping of the National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) and the Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC).

It however rejected the recommendation on the merging of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and the Independent and Corrupt Practices Commission  (ICPC), Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

The decision of the government on the Report was contained in a White Paper submitted by the Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, to President Goodluck Jonathan.

The document showed where the government accepted and rejected various recommendations on the scrapping, merger of 270 government agencies with some of the agencies approved for commercialisation and privatisation.

The Federal Government also rejected the renaming of Code of Conduct Tribunal to Anti Corruption Tribunal but accepted that 'the trio of Nigerian Airspace Management Agency NAMA, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency be merged into a new body to be known as the Federal Civil Aviation Authority (FCAA) and their respective enabling laws be amended accordingly to reflect the merger.

' Other recommendations accepted include the one that the enabling law of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology be amended and the college restructured.

Though maintaining that the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) should continue to exists as the central examination body for admissions into Nigerian universities, it however directs that JAMB must play its regulatory role to ensure that all students for undergraduate admissions into Nigerian universities must pass through JAMB including direct entries.

The government also accepted the recommendation that the Bill seeking for the establishment of New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) as an agency of the Federal Government be withdrawn from the National Assembly as there are already laws relating to most of the activities being performed by NEPAD.

It also accepted that the Utilities Charges Commission be abolished and its enabling law repealed, it directed that the process of repealing the enabling law be initiated by office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

It accepted the recommendation that National Agricultural Insurance Corporation be fully commercialised and also accepted the recommendation that the passed bill on the Nigeria Agriculture Quarantine Service should not be assented to by the President.

The government also accepted that the practice whereby certain categories of retirees are opting out of contributory pension scheme be stopped stating that only the military may withdraw from the scheme.

Accepting that the Veterinary Research Council of Nigeria should as a professional body be self funding and that further budgetary allocation of the council should cease forthwith, the government accepted partial commercialisation of NIPOST.

The Federal Government also agreed to sell off its shares in NIGCOMSAT and directed that government will retain minority shares.

The government also accepted that the functions of NIGCOMSAT that relates to space development be reverted to the National Space Development Agency.

It further accepted that the function of the Nigerian Institute for Education Planners and Administrators ( NIEPA) be merged with those of the National Teachers Institute (NTI).

While accepting that the Nigerian Film Corporation be commercialised from 2013 fiscal year but with government seed funding, the government accepted that all offices of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) outside Lagos and Abuja be closed down immediately to ensure judicious use of available resources in line with government policy.

It accepted that National Council of Arts and Culture be merged with the National Troupe and the National Theatre into one agency called National Council of Arts and Culture.

The Federal Government also accepted that the Nigerian Financial Reporting Council ceases to be funded by government from 2015, just as it accepted that the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) be self funding from 2014.

It accepted that the allegation made by the National Boundaries Commission (NBC) against the office of the Surveyor General of the Federation over the funding of two non existent boundary demarcation be properly investigated.

The Government also accepted the management audit of the National Institute for Sports (NIS).

It however rejected the recommendation for an amendment in name and status of the Federal Civil Service Commission to the Federal Public Service Commission.

It however accepted the recommendation for a single term of five years for the Chairman and members of the commission.

It accepted the recommendation for the scrapping of Fiscal Responsibility Commission  (FRC), the government also directed the AGF to initiate necessary action for the abolition.

It further directed that the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission should perform the function of Fiscal Responsibility Commission.

The Federal Government also accepted the recommendation that the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission's enabling law be repealed and the functions of the commission be subsumed under Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation And Fiscal Commission.

'That RMAFC enabling laws be amended to accommodate the functions of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission and the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission,' it stated.

The Federal Government however rejected the recommendation that Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission be subsumed under the Bureau of Public Enterprises for greater synergy.

It also rejected the recommendation of the merger of Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and Voice of Nigeria (VON) into one body to be known as Federal Corporation Broadcasting of Nigeria (FCBN).

It however directed that NTA be fully commercialised by 2013.

And while rejecting the recommendation for the abolition of Federal Character Commission, it said that the commission should be strengthened to perform its constitutional role and functions.

The Government rejected the recommendation for an amendment in name and status of the Federal Civil Service Commission to the Federal Public Service Commission.

It however accepted the recommendation that a single term of five years for the Chairman and members of the commission.

It rejected the recommendation that the law establishing the Border Communities Development Agency be repealed and its functions reverted to the National Boundary Commission.

The Government rejected the recommendation that government should disengage from funding current expenditure of National Institute on Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) from the 2015 fiscal year and limit itself to certain essential capital requirement of the institute.

Rejecting the merger of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the National Refugees Commission into one agency to be known as the National Emergency Management and Refugees Commission, the government also rejected the recommendation for the Debt Management Office to become an extra ministerial department in the Federal Ministry of Finance and be delisted from the office of the Vice President.

It rejected the recommendation that the Act setting up the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) be repealed and also rejected that Road Safety of the FRSC be reverted to the Highways Department of the Federal Ministry of Works.

The government also rejected the recommendation that the enabling law of the National Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS be repealed just as it rejected that the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria and the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission be abolished and their functions transferred to a department under Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

It also rejected the recommendation that government stops sponsoring pilgrims and pilgrimages with effect from 2012 Fiscal year.

It also rejected the privatisation of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigerian (FAAN ) in view of the security situation of the country.

'Government rejects that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Nigerian Broadcasting commission ( NBC ) and the regulatory functions of Nigerian Postal Service ( NIPOST)) be brought together under a unified management structure to be known as the Communications Regulatory Authority of Nigeria,' it said The Federal government also rejected the recommendation that the Act establishing the National Examinations Council (NECO) be repealed and Council's activities be returned to the WAEC.

Government rejected the abolition of the Nigerian educational research and development council (NEDRC) and rejected that NDE and Small Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) be merged to form a single agency for wealth creation.

Rejecting that the Ministry of Police Affairs be scrapped, the government also rejected the scrapping of Raw Materials Research and Development Council.

It rejected the scrapping of Energy Commission of Nigeria and also rejected that the National Sports Commission revert to the proposed Ministry of Youth and Sports Development as an agency.