Buhari moves to abolish, merge 102 govt agencies, parastatals

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the restructuring and rationalization of federal government parastatals, commissions and agencies.

According to the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, who made the disclosure on Channels Television on Wednesday, the directive was sequel to the Steve Oransaye report which recommended the abolishment and merging of 102 government agencies and parastatals.

Oransaye, who headed a presidential committee constituted by the Goodluck Jonathan administration, had noted that the recommendations would help reduce the cost of governance in the country.

Speaking on President Buhari’s adoption of the report, the finance minister stated that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha and the Head of Service, Folashade Mejabi Yemi-Esan, have been directed to implement the recommendations.

Ahmed said: “The president has approved that this administration should implement the Oransanye report. It has reviewed the whole of the size of government and has made very significant recommendations in terms of reducing the number of agencies and that would mean merging some agencies.

“This is a report that has been in place for a long time and there hasn’t been implementation but the president has approved that this should be implemented and we have conveyed Mr President’s approval to the arms of government that are responsible for this and that will be the office of the secretary of government and the head of civil service of the federation.”