Orosanye Report: FG Scraps NAPEP By George Agba — April 8, 2014 The federal government has finally given its nod to the scrapping of the National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP). It, however, rejected the recommendation that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) be merged, as well as the renaming of Code of Conduct Tribunal to Anti-corruption Tribunal. Government’s position is contained in a white paper released by a 10-member committee chaired Minister of Justice and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Adoke which was set up to look into the recommendations of the Presidential Committee on the Rationalisation and Restructuring of Federal Government Parastatals and Commissions led by former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mr. Steve Oronsaye. The Orosanye led committee which submitted its report to President Goodluck Jonathan on April 16, 2012 had recommended the reduction of the existing 263 government statutory agencies in the country to 161. Specifically, the committee recommended the abolition of 38 agencies, merger of 52 and reversion of 14 agencies to departments in the relevant ministries. After the committee had submitted its White Paper on the Orosanye report,t he President had been chairing series of meetings to study the draft White Paper produced by the Adoke committee line-by-line. The white paper made available to journalists on Monday noted that, while government accepted the recommendation to scrap NAPEP, it, however, refused to merge NDE with the Small Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) to form a new body known as the National Agency for Job Creation and Empowerment (NAJCE). According to the white paper, government also “accepted that the trio of Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) 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. “Government also accepts that the enabling law of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology be amended and the college restructured,” the white paper noted. On education, government accepted that the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) should continue to exist as the central examination body for admission into Nigerian universities. It directed 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. Government accepted that the function of the Nigerian institute for Education Planners and Administrators (NIEPA) be merged with those of the National Teachers Institute, even as it accepted the funding of the computer professionals registration council of Nigeria. The federal government also accepted to partially commercialise the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST). While it accepted to sell off its shares in NIGCOMSAT, it directed that government will retain minority shares, even as it accepted that the functions of NIGCOMSAT that relate to space development be reverted to that of the National Space Development Agency. The federal government accepted the recommendation that the Bill seeking for the establishment of NEPAD as an agency of the Federal Government be withdrawn from the National Assembly, as there are already laws relating to most of their activities being performed by NEPAD. Government accepted the recommendation for the scrapping of Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC) and directed AGF to initiate necessary action for the abolition. Accordingly, it directed that the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) should perform the function of Fiscal Responsibility Commission. Government 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 Mobilsation and Fiscal Commission Government further agreed that RMAFC enabling laws be amended to accommodate the functions of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission and the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission. It accepted that the practice whereby certain categories of retirees are opting out of contributory pension scheme be stopped and directed that only the military may withdraw from the scheme. Government further accepted that the Utilities Charges Commission be abolished and its enabling law repealed and directed that the process of repealing the enabling law be initiated by the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF). It accepted the recommendation that the National Agricultural Insurance Corporation be fully commercialised, even as it accepted that the passed bill on the Nigeria Agriculture Quarantine Service should not be assented to by the President. Still on Agriculture, government accepted 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 It accepted that the Nigerian Film Corporation be commercialised from 2013 fiscal year, but with government seed funding. It also accepted that all offices of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies 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. Government accepted that the Nigerian Financial Reporting Council ceases to be funded by government from 2015, even as it accepted that the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) be self-funding from 2014. It further accepted that the allegation made by the National Boundaries Commission against the office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation over the funding of two non-existent boundary demarcations be properly investigated, just as it also accepted the management audit of the National Institute of Sports. The federal government in the white paper, however, rejected the recommendation for an amendment in name and status of the Federal Civil Service Commission to the Federal Public Service Commission. But it accepted the recommendation for a single term of five years for the chairman and members of the commission. It rejected the recommendation that Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission be subsumed under the Bureau of Public Enterprises for greater synergy Government rejected the recommendation of the merger of NTA, FRCN and VON into one body to be known as Federal Corporation Broadcasting of Nigeria (FCBN). To this effect, it directed that NTA be fully commercialised by 2013. Government rejected the recommendation for the abolition of Federal Character Commission, even as it directed that, rather the commission be strengthened to perform its constitutional role and functions. It rejected that the Nigerian Atomic Energy commission be located as a parastatal in the Ministry of Power. It rejected that the Public Complaints Commission (PCC) be abolished. Federal government also rejected the recommendation that the law establishing the Border Communities Development Agency be repealed and its functions reverted to the National Boundary Commission. It further 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. Federal government rejected 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 It 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. Federal government rejected the recommendation that the Act setting up FRSC be repealed and the FRSC be reverted to the Highways Department of the Federal Ministry of Works. It rejected the recommendation that the enabling law of the National Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS be repealed. Federal government 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. Federal government rejected the recommendation that government should stop sponsoring pilgrims and pilgrimages with effect from 2012 Fiscal year. Government rejected the privatisation of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigerian (FAAN ) in view of the security situation of the country. Government rejected 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. Government rejected the recommendation that the Act establishing the National Examinations Council be repealed and the Council’s activities be returned to WAEC, even as it directed the Minister of Education to streamline the two bodies to ensure standards and integrity. Government also rejected that the Act of the National Business and Technical Examinations Board be repealed and the Boards activities be returned to WAEC. Government rejected the re-introduction of tuition in its universities, even as it rejected the abolition of the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NEDRC). Government rejected that the Ministry of Police Affairs be scrapped, just as it rejected the scrapping of Raw Materials Research and Development Council. leadership.ng/news/364114/orosanye-report-fg-scraps-napep-2
Posted on: Wed, 09 Apr 2014 10:53:57 +0000
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