FG To Scrap 220 Agencies, Parastatals

Indications emerged yesterday that the federal government may scrap about 220 of it agencies and parastatals following the report of the white paper drafting committee that worked on the report of the Steve Orosanye-led committee on the restructuring and rationalisation of federal parastatals.

According to special adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on media and publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, out of the 451 agencies recommended by the Orosanye committee for scrapping, the white paper drafting committee had penciled 220 down to be scrapped.

Briefing State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, Abati that the recommendation of the white paper drafting committee was, however, subject to the ratification of the FEC, which would later take a final decision on it.

The presidential spokesman said: “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, rejected some.

“At the end of the day, the FEC will take 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.”

Abati remarked that the essence of the whole exercise was to ensure efficiency, reduce the cost of government, 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 if very quickly, the white paper will be released and it will be implemented accordingly,” he said.