No fewer than 200 Federal Government agencies, commissions and parastatals may be scrapped in the next few weeks.
This came to light as the Federal Executive Council on Wednesday commenced deliberation on the draft white paper on the rationalization of the agencies and parastatals.
President Goodluck Jonathan last year inaugurated a Presidential Committee on the Restructuring and Rationalization of Federal Government Parastatals and Agencies with a view to ensure efficiency and save cost.
The committee, headed by the former Head of Service of the Federation, Steve Orosanye, had since submitted its report, following which a Ministerial White Paper Drafting Committee was also set up.
Briefing State House correspondents after the weekly FEC meeting, Presidential Media Adviser, Dr. Reuben Abati, said the White Paper Drafting Committee accepted 200 parastatals for scrap out of 521 recommended by the Oronsaye committee, while 321 are to retain their statuses.
Abati said: “What Council took today was the draft White Paper for discussion and review.
“It is ongoing.
“That process will continue during the next meeting.
“I know that many people have expressed concerns on when the White Paper will be released.
“This makes it very clear that works have been ongoing on the report of that committee.
“After the draft of that White Paper was submitted, a review committee was set up by Mr. President, which also considered the report and now it is being considered at the level of the FEC and you can be sure that in due course, the White Paper with regard to the restructuring and rationalisation of government’s parastatals, agencies and commissions will be released.”
Abati also said that the exercise was not meant to bring hardship on the workers but to reduce the cost of governance as well as improve service delivery.
His words: “There is no cause for any anxiety.
“The Oronsaye Committee considered suggestions, recommendations from different quarters and in total, that committee looked at 541 federal parastatals, commissions and agencies.
“The White Paper drafting committee out of that accepted 321, noted some recommendations and rejected some.
“At the end of the day, the FEC will take a final decision on this recommendation and when that is done, the White Paper will be made public.
“I don’t think we should jump the gun.
“The thing to note is that all of this is being done to ensure efficiency, to reduce the cost of government, to avoid leakages and wastages and to make government far more effective in delivering quality service to Nigerians.
“This is not targeted at pushing anybody out of work.
“This is not an exercise in making life difficult for anybody.
“This is just government restructuring for better level of efficiency.
“People should not be unduly anxious.
“You can be assured that now that it is at the level of the FEC, work will be completed on it very quickly.
“The White Paper will be released and it will be implemented accordingly.”
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