Oronsaye Report: FG Allays Fears of Job Losses as Peter Obi Hails Tinubu
LP presidential candidate says ‘opposition does not warrant blind, thoughtless criticism’ Falana advises govt to merge two arms of National Assembly, reduce number of ministers, special advisers, others, instead of downsizing civil servants
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has allayed fears of any form of mass retrenchment in the implementation of the Oronsaye Report, which seeks to streamline government agencies and parastatals.
The assurance by the minister who spoke yesterday, at the fourth edition of the Ministerial Press Briefing Series in Abuja, came just as the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, backed the move by President Bola Tinubu to implement the Oronsaye Report, saying, "being in opposition does not warrant blind and thoughtless criticism"
However, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Femi Falana, yesterday, advised the federal government to merge the two houses of the National Assembly while the number of Ministers, Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants and Special Assistants significantly reduced, instead of downsizing civil servants while implementing the Oronsaye Report.
Continuing, Idris, said government had no intention of retrenching workers or throwing people into the labour market, but to reduce cost and also improve efficiency in service delivery.
He said the implementation of the report, which had been on the shelf for about 12 years, was a clear demonstration of Tinubu’s unwavering commitment to fiscal prudence and responsible governance by championing a comprehensive review of the government‘s commissions, agencies and parastatals.
He noted that the approval for the implementation of the Orosanye Report, which followed a very careful review, was to ensure that essential services were not compromised and that the needs of the citizens were adequately catered for while putting the interests of the nation first and foremost.
“Through the implementation of the Oronsaye’s Report, President Tinubu aims to achieve significant cost savings by eliminating duplication of functions, streamlining administrative processes and optimising resource allocation.
“This proactive approach will enable the government to operate more efficiently while maintaining the quality and delivery of services to the Nigerian people,” he said.
He stressed that the measures were not undertaken in isolation but as part of a broader strategy to reform and modernise government institutions by leveraging technology, promoting innovation, and fostering a culture of performance and accountability across all sectors.
The minister, who said the benefits of the reforms spearheaded by the president were already emerging in various sectors, stressed that reports from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) indicated that Nigeria witnessed a GDP growth of 3.46 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2023 as against 2.54 per cent recorded in the third quarter of 2023.
He asserted that the NBS report also stated that capital importation rose to 66 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2023, reversing a 36 per cent decline in the third quarter.
Idris, stated that petrol importation had been reduced by 50 per cent since the removal of fuel subsidy, while the Nigerian Exchange Limited’s All Share Index crossed the 100,000 mark - its highest ever.
He described the achievements so far recorded in the economy as not merely a stroke of luck, but mainly due to the pragmatic reforms initiated by the President, which inspired investor confidence in the Nigerian economy.
According to the minister, the
President had also given a directive for the design of a Social Security Unemployment Programme to cater for the unemployed graduates as well as the setting up of a Social Consumer Credit Scheme to boost the purchasing power of Nigerians, as they make adjustments in view of the temporary economic hardship.
Meanwhile, Peter Obi, has supported the move by the Tinubu-led administration to implement the Oronsaye Report.
In a statement posted on his X handle yesterday, Obi said he had always been an advocate of the three critical components of the Oronsaye Report.
These he listed to include, “drastically cutting the cost of governance; eliminating the overlapping of responsibilities to ensure that responsibilities are appropriately domiciled; and increasing efficiency and effectiveness, which will increase productivity."
According to him, "I would like to refer everyone to my Manifesto and my response to similar questions during my campaigns.
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