Governance Cost: Akpabio Calls For Immediate Implementation Of Oronsaye Report

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has called for the immediate implementation of the Stephen Oronsaye report.

The report proposed scrapping certain government agencies to reduce the cost of governance.

During a dialogue on the cost of governance organised by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) in Abuja on Monday, Akpabio pointed out that high overhead costs of appointive public officials, along with the salaries and allowances of elected officials, were the main factors contributing to the high cost of governance.

He emphasised the need for swift action to implement the recommendations of the Oronsaye report, which the federal government recently approved.

Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, representing Akpabio, emphasised the need for transparent and accountable governance by streamlining the bureaucracy and eliminating unnecessary expenses.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, stated that the government should implement measures to align its spending with the current economic situation.

“Nigeria has long grappled with budget deficits, further emphasising the necessity to streamline government operational costs and foster budgetary stability.

“This requires a concerted effort to eliminate wasteful, inefficient and unnecessary expenses from our budgetary allocations,” he said.

Meanwhile, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had established an 11-member committee to oversee the implementation of the recommendations outlined in the Oronsaye report.

The Federal Government had assured that implementing the Stephen Oronsaye report would not result in the sacking of Nigerian workers.

The Min­ister of Information and Nation­al Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the implementation of the report would rather ensure cost savings, prudence in government expenses and guarantee efficiency in the Civil Service.

The minister said through the implementation of the report, President Tinubu aims to eliminate duplication of functions, stream­lining administrative processes, and optimising resource alloca­tion.