It is no longer news that Nigerian system of government is a wasteful one, the lack of proper consideration before establishing government-controlled parastatals, ministries, commissions and agencies had led to proliferation of bodies without due diligence hence, leading to overlapping of functions and on a more serious note, misappropriation of public funds, painful inefficiencies and economic wastage. In 2011, Jonathan had set up a committee headed by the then Head of Service of the Federation, Steve Oronsaye, to restructure and rationalize the Civil Service, the committee was given 8 weeks to conclude its work. At the initial stage, the committee’s activities were slowed down by ‘powerful interest groups’ in the society. However, the committee was able to finish up on its onerous task and finally submit the 800-page report to the President in early 2012.

The report revealed that the federal government would save over =N=862 billion by 2015 if its recommendations are implemented, a credence to the fact that most of government ministries, parastatals and agencies are waste pipes. It had recommended; the reduction of statutory agencies of government from 263 to 161, abolition of 38 agencies, merger of 52 and reversal of 14 to departments in ministries. It also recommended that both the legislature and the judiciary must make spirited efforts at reducing their costs as well as restructuring and rationalizing the agencies under them, if the cost of governance must be reasonably trimmed. The committee revealed that the average cost of governance in Nigeria ranks among the highest in the world, and for a country at a developing stage, it is killing!

For the records, out of the various cabals that have misappropriated public funds in Nigeria for their own uses, the civil service mafia is the oldest and most successful. According to Professor Onwuchekwa Jemie of the BusinessDay, he posited, “The Nigerian Civil Service is committed only to its own survival. Its function, as it sees itself, is neither to produce nor to manage the nation’s wealth but to consume it. Its corporate survival guarantees the well being and progress-in-cash of the individual members. The civil service is like a blood brotherhood, sworn to secrecy, sworn to protect one another and not to testify against one another except under extreme duress. No one wants to change the rules – unless to create more loopholes and increase the windfall.”

Their offices (especially the senior among them) came with some “privileges,” starting from the free housing in the exclusive Government Reserved Area (GRA) formerly named “European Quarter” for the white colonial officers formerly there. The “privileges” continue in the form of car loan repayable over the space of six years with a generous petrol and maintenance allowance. When joining the service or on official travels, they must travel first class by air with family; when on transfer to a new station, 5 star hotel accommodation and feeding with all expenses are paid for self and family for 28 days (equivalent of one month) and the shocker, renewable indefinitely until permanent accommodation befitting rank and status is found; and while attending conferences, workshops or other official duties they are given first class treatments in hotels with feeding all at the expenses of the government. The out-of-station or ‘bush’ allowance; estacode (foreign travel allowance) complete with excess baggage coupons to facilitate the purchase of foreign goods; leave (or furlough) allowance; telephone allowance; entertainment allowance; study leave for three or more years at home or abroad of course with some pay; there are still hidden ones!

The over-budgeted estacode is a cause for worry; top civil servants are known to cook up fanciful projects that would have shamed the former “whites” in that exalted posts. They (Nigerian Civil Service) are elusive, they pride themselves on their survival irrespective of the odds stacked against them by the government of the day. Governments come and go, but they are ever present. The Presidents or heads of states, governors, ministers and commissioners are nothing but “Temporary Lords” while they (especially the permanent secretaries) remain as the “Permanent Lords”! If threatened by the Minister (Temporary Lord) for instance, the game of wits is played. His tactic is delay, his defense is caution, his attack is the rule book which he slams in the enemy’s (the Minister) face. In the end, every new government no matter how committed to rid the Civil Service of corruptions or short cut practices is defeated by the permanent secretaries (popularly called ‘perm sec’) and his formidable army of deputies, principals and assistants (masters of the dribble, masters of delay and the last-minute surprises), clerks (who hide the files), messengers (who make sure the letter arrives late or never), and security men (who burn the account books when the game is up).

Looking at the rich Oronsaye Reports, I am afraid it might go the way of a similar one raised by Obasanjo in 2000 by the name, “Ahmed Joda Panel.” The Panel submitted a White Paper on the Review, Harmonization and Rationalization of Federal Government Parastatals, Institutions and Agencies with the aim that some parastatals and agencies should either be scrapped, commercialized, privatized or self-funded. Unfortunately, few of the suggested parastatals and agencies are still being funded by government with billions of Naira.

Now here is an extremely important topic, a rarity on NL these days...@OP gr8t post. Hope d President wud implement d White Paper asap; and hope continous pressure wud be placed on him and d govt to do so

taharqa: Now here is an extremely important topic, a rarity on NL these days...@OP gr8t post. Hope d President wud implement d White Paper asap; and hope continous pressure wud be placed on him and d govt to do so

Thanks a great deal pal, but most times I feel discouraged to bring more 'sensitive topics' up for discussions because the mods here are very partial they will not put this and many of my topics on the frontpage, the reason I don't know

geez*:
A committee was set up to review the committee's report and as soon as the committee submits its report, another committee will be set up to look into it and the cycle continues

What have you contributed now apart from making noise?

taharqa: Now here is an extremely important topic, a rarity on NL these days...@OP gr8t post. Hope d President wud implement d White Paper asap; and hope continous pressure wud be placed on him and d govt to do so

I am doubtful if GEJ is going to take necessary action on this report cos if he meant business he wouldn't have proposed over a N100billion for some of these MDA's in the 2013 budget. GEJ lacks the political will to carry out most of these reforms and the NA is not also helping matters. No amount of pressure can be exerted on an unwilling and inconsistent government!

geez*:
A committee was set up to review the committee's report and as soon as the committee submits its report, another committee will be set up to look into it and the cycle continues

Committee?

take dat: I am doubtful if GEJ is going to take necessary action on this report cos if he meant business he wouldn't have proposed over a N100billion for some of these MDA's in the 2013 budget. GEJ lacks the political will to carry out most of these reforms and the NA is not also helping matters. No amount of pressure can be exerted on an unwilling and inconsistent government!

Trust me, the Civil Service remains the strongest cabal that has been milking this country dry!

take dat: I am doubtful if GEJ is going to take necessary action on this report cos if he meant business he wouldn't have proposed over a N100billion for some of these MDA's in the 2013 budget. GEJ lacks the political will to carry out most of these reforms and the NA is not also helping matters. No amount of pressure can be exerted on an unwilling and inconsistent government!

you know already that I disagree with you on GEJ lacking 'the political will to carry out these reforms'. There are actually imminent signs that he will do this very very soon; maybe the time that was taken was to do a much detailed job cos the changes are not only courageous but also very sensitive (in terms of possible jobs lost etc).

On the why budgetary provisions were made for these Agencies in 2013, it is cos most of them are actually set up by Acts of Parliament or Decrees, and only the NA make the final approval of the mergers and/or scrapping of some of these Agencies . When the changes are effected anyways, the underutilized budget of some of the Agencies can be vired or returned as Unspent; it is certainly wise to provide monies for these Agencies and then return it than not providing for them at all when one is not sure of the exact time the necessary legal backings would be obtained for some of them.

Recall, the criticism that met the decision of the Govt not to budget for the unbundled PHCN companies for 2013 cos it believes that it would have privatized the companies by then ( in this instance, the Govt could do such cos they already have the legal backing to privatize the unbundled companies via the Power Reform 2005 Act, so wouldn't need any other approval from the NA).

Have a little faith guy...

@Taharqa, I respect your guts you spoke like a guru! I believe in Jonathan too, but he seems to be playing unknowingly into the hands of the 'northern clique' you wanna ask why? Then why sack Azazi and replace with a former ADC to IBB, (Dasuki).My fear is, they will continue the game of distractions so that Jonathan will not finish at one thing, even though he had good intentions! If you look around, this is happening already in the area of security

taharqa:

you know already that I disagree with you on GEJ lacking 'the political will to carry out these reforms'. There are actually imminent signs that he will do this very very soon; maybe the time that was taken was to do a much detailed job cos the changes are not only courageous but also very sensitive (in terms of possible jobs lost etc).

On the why budgetary provisions were made for these Agencies in 2013, it is cos most of them are actually set up by acts of Parliament or Degrees, and only the NA can finally approve some of the mergers and/or scrapping. When the changes are effected anyways, the utilized budget of some of the Agencies can be vired or returned as Unspent; it is certainly wise to provide monies for these Agencies and then return it than not provided for them at all when one is not sure the exact time the necessary legal backings would be obtained for some of them.
Recall, the criticism that meted the decision of the Govt not to budget for the unbundled PHCN companies for 2013 cos it believes that it would have privatized the companies by then ( in this instance, the Govt could do such cos they already have the legal backing to privatize the unbundled companies via the Power Reform 2005 Act, so wouldn't need any other approval from the NA).

Have a little faith guy...

If you had gone through my initial post you would have noticed that I berated the NA for being complacent in the wastages and duplicity witnessed in most of the MDA's recommended for abolition or merger. A government that is not lacking in political will won't mind whose ox is gored especially when it takes into consideration the billions that goes down the drain in these unproductive MDA's yearly. Government needs to stop the habit of creating "food" for the boys, jobs will be lost but a big step into reducing recurrent expenditure will be gained and there will be more for capital expenditure, productivity and efficiency will also be achieved.
The report has been submitted to the president since April and this is November, if indeed he was serious and consistent, adequate measures would have been put in place like lobbying the NA to repel the acts establishing the ones recommended for abolition before the new fiscal year.
You asked that I should have faith but guy my faith is waning as I keep seeing the inconsistency of this government. GEJ commissioned the KPMG to do an audit but he eventually jettisoned the report only for him to set up a Ribadu committee to do a similar task which the KPMG had done. From this article Obasanjo had commissioned a similar findings with a white paper recommendation through the Joda committee, if GEJ had thought it wise and wanted to prove a difference From past leaders he would have gone ahead with implementing the recommendations of the white paper but he had to set up the Orosanye committee only for him to be procrastinating with its recommendations!

A very rich and expository topic of yesteryears