Mr Dennis Idahosa (APC – Edo) and the immediate past chairman of the House Committee on Legislative Compliance has urged President Bola Tinubu to implement the recommendations of the Steve Oronsaye report as there is no better time to do so than now.
The lawmaker who represents Ovia Federal Constituency in the Green Chamber said implementation of the report would cut wastage in government as well as strength the civil service.
Idahosa who lauded the decisions so far made by the President to save the nation economy, made the call in a press statement personally signed by him and made available to newsmen on Monday, in Benin City, capital of Edo State.
He said that the dwindling revenue of the country in the face of increasing demand for infrastructural development, high debt burden, and better welfare for the citizens, posed a great danger to the survival of the country.
He noted that it was as a result that there have been increase and sustained campaigns for cost-cutting measures in governance across the board.
The lawmaker said that the Oronsaye committee revealed a high level of competition among several overlapping agencies, which had not only created ill feelings among government agencies but also brought about unnecessary wastage in government expenditure.
On April 16, 2012, the Oronsaye committee submitted an 800-page which recommended the abolition and merger of 102 government agencies and parastatals, while some were listed to be self-funding.
The committee also recommended, among other things, the discontinuation of government funding of professional bodies and councils.
It also said all the measures were meant to free funds for the implementations of government programmes.
Nevertheless, Idahosa regretted that after 10 years, no administration have muster the courage and political will to implement the report, allaying the fears that implementation of the Oronsaye’s committee report would led to job loss in the federal civil service.
He also said that the National Assembly (NASS) would give legislative backing for the report implementation where necessary.
According to him, “I must commend the move so far by the President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to stopping the haemorrhage in the nation’s economy since he took over the reign of power on May 29th.
The far reaching decisions such as removal of fuel subsidy and unification of exchange rate, would free up revenue to implement policies and programmes aimed at bettering the lives of Nigerians.
“However, I am urging the President to also look other ways to free more revenue such as the implementation of the Steve Oronsaye committee report that was set up by President Goodluck Jonathan administration.
“But, sadly, the government, rather than reduce, harmonise or merge some agencies as recommended in the report, has gone ahead to establish more agencies.
“It is better we endure the short term effect of the inconveniences that will come with the implementation, and later enjoy the long term effect, than to further delay its implementation,” he stated.
The lawmaker who concluded with a call to Nigerians to be patient as President Tunubu continue with his reforms, assured that these reforms would at the end led to the enthronement of good governance in Nigeria.