FG scraps NAPEP, Fiscal Commission
The Federal Government has resolved to scrap the National Poverty Eradication Programme and the Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC).
The FRC’s functions are now to be performed by the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).
The government accepted that the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NMA) be merged into a new body to be known as the Federal Civil Aviation Authority (FCAA) and their respective enabling laws amended accordingly.
This is contained in the 105-page white paper on the report of the Presidential Committee on Restructuring and Rationalisation of Federal Parastatals, Commissions and Agencies.
The white paper, dated March 2014, was yesterday obtained by State House correspondents from the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation.
It accepted the recommendation that the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission’s enabling law be repealed and the functions of the commission be subsumed under the RMAFC.
The government accepted that the practice whereby certain categories of retirees are opting out of contributory pension scheme be stopped and directed that only the military may withdraw from the scheme.
According to the white paper, the Federal Government rejected the recommendation of the merger of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).
According to the white paper, the government rejected the recommendation for an amendment in name and status of the Federal Civil Service Commission to the Federal Public Service Commission, but it however accepted the recommendation for a single term of five years for the chairman and members of the commission.
The government also rejected the recommendation that Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission be subsumed under the Bureau of Public Enterprises for greater synergy.
It rejected the recommendation for the merger of Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and the Voice of Nigeria (VON) into one body to be known as the Federal Corporation Broadcasting of Nigeria (FCBN).
The Federal Government directed that the NTA be fully commercialised by 2013
It rejected the recommendation that the Federal Character Commission be abolished but instead it should be strengthened to perform its constitutional roles.
The government also rejected the recommendation for an amendment in name and status of the Federal Civil Service Commission to the Federal Public Service Commission, but accepted the recommendation for a single term of five years for the chairman and members of the commission.
The government accepted partial commercialization of NIPOST.
It rejected the recommendation that government should disengage from funding current expenditure of National Institute on Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) from the 2015 fiscal year and limit itself to certain essential capital requirement of the institute.
It also rejected the merger of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the National Refugees Commission into an agency to be known as the National Emergency Management and Refugees Commission.
It rejected the recommendation that the Act setting up Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) be repealed and also directed that road Safety of the FRSC be reverted to the highways department of the Federal Ministry of Works.
The government rejected the recommendation that the enabling law of the National Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS be repealed.
It also rejected that the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria and the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission be abolished and their functions transferred to a department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The government rejected the recommendation that government stops sponsoring pilgrims and pilgrimages with effect from 2012 Fiscal year.
It also rejected the privatisation of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigerian (FAAN ) in view of the security situation of the country.
It accepted that JAMB should continue to exist as the central examination body for admissions into Nigerian universities and directed that it must play its regulatory role to ensure that all students for undergraduate admissions into Nigerian universities must pass through JAMB including direct entries.