The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has backed the decision of President Bola Tinubu to implement the Oronsaye Report which recommended the merger and scrapping of some agencies of government to cut down the cost of governance.
ASCSN, which is the umbrella body of senior civil servants in public service in the country, however, urged the federal government to ensure that the implementation of the report does not amount to any loss of jobs.
ASCSN, which is an affiliate of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, said there was a need to cut down the cost of governance in the county, noting that it had emphasised this before.
Addressing reporters on Monday, March 4, 2024 in Abuja, National President of ASCSN, Comrade Tommy Okon said the union was in support of the implementation of the report which recommended the merger or scrapping of some parastatals, agencies, and commissions of government.
President Tinubu last directed called for the implementation of the report within the next 12 weeks.
Okon said the merger of some offices, total scrapping of some, and subsuming others into other Ministries, Department, and Agencies (MDAs) was one of the best ways of cutting down governance costs, as there were too many overlapping responsibilities in some parastatals, agencies, and commissions.
He said: “We have received several messages and calls from the workers and other stakeholders wanting to know if the implementation of the Oronsaye Report would affect jobs or lead to job loss. Let me use this opportunity to state that we cannot continue to do the same thing all the time and expect different results.
“As a union, we have been on this issue of cutting the cost of governance and this has to be done holistically, taking into consideration all arms of government: the Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary.
“These will be the best ways to make governance efficient, cost-effective, and productive. Let me also say that being in the Union does not warrant blind and thoughtless criticism. Whenever the government takes the right decision, we should agree and if need be, suggest even better ideas to move the nation forward just like what the Trade Union Congress did by forwarding 15 (Fifteen) points suggestions to Mr. President on how to get the nation out of the wood.
“The Oronsaye Report established that there are 541 (Five hundred and forty-one) FG Parastatals, Commissions, Agencies (Statutory and non-statutory) and recommended that 263 (Two hundred and sixty-three) of the statutory agencies should be reduced to 161 (One hundred and sixty one), while 38 (Thirty-eight) agencies should be abolished and 52 (Fifty-two) should be merged. It also recommended that 14 (Fourteen) of the agencies should revert to departments in ministries. Out of the 104 (One hundred and four) MDAs, some of those to be scrapped, fused and merged include the EFCC, ICPC, CCB, NTA, NCC, PPPRA, COREN, PTAD, VON, NAHCON, NCPC etc.
“We have been clamouring for government at all levels to cut the cost of governance, to us, this is one of the best ways to achieve it.
“Therefore, there is the need for the government to drastically cut the cost of governance, eliminate the overlapping of responsibilities to ensure that responsibilities are appropriately domiciled, increasing efficiency, effectiveness, increased productivity, national competitiveness, and international ranking.”
While calling on President Tinubu to review the contents of the report to ensure it aligned with the current day realities, Okon called for the inclusion of organised labour in the implementation process of the report to ensure credibility.
He said: “Now that it is imperative for the government to implement the Report, we call on President Bola Tinubu GCFR to reexamine the contents of the Report in line with the present National realities because the state of the nation 12 years ago when the Report birthed cannot be the same today. The government should ensure that the Acts establishing these Agencies of government are repealed before the implementation to forestall litigations.
“The government must as a matter of urgency do away with unnecessary and needless wastage of our scarce resources on frivolities, and deploy such funds to the critical areas of Education, Health, Transportation, Food Security, National Security and pulling people out of poverty. However, these should be done with due diligence because those who will be directly affected are mostly Civil Servants.
*Let me use this opportunity to call on the Constitution Review Committee to also consider either making the National Assembly operate on a part-time basis or making it a Uni-camera Legislature to cut the cost of governance because there are not many distinctive features between both Houses except for Confirmation of Ministers and other statutory compliance which could be addressed once the Constitution is amended.
“The National Assembly should stop further consideration of Bills for the establishment of Government Agencies to reduce wastages.
We call on the government to make a conscious effort to cushion the effect of this major overhaul on the workers to avoid bringing more people into hardship at this very challenging and trying time.
“Government should also carry out more enlightenment campaigns to educate the populace on the gains of implementing the Report. We also believe that the government should involve Organised Labour in the implementation process to ensure credibility. Finally, we warn that job loss at this critical time of our socio-economic challenges and food crisis would be a recipe for mass protest and industrial unrest.”
Oronsaye Report: Labour Cautions Fed Govt Against Job Loss
