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Govt to scrap BPE, NAPEP, NEIC, 217 other agencies

By on July 2, 2013

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has agreed to scrap the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and 219 other parastatals and agencies. There are about 540 of such agencies.
Besides, the government is to merge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
A “proper investigation of the allegations made by the National Boundaries Commission against the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation (OSGOF) over the funding of two non-existent boundary demarcations is to be conducted.
The OSGOF will also be probed for alleged illegal extension of Nigeria’s maritime boundary from 200 nautical miles to 350 nautical miles at $12 million without consulting.
These are the highlights of the outcome of a review of the White Paper on the report of the Presidential Committee on the Rationalisation and Restructuring of Federal Government Parastatals and Commissions, which was headed by ex-Head of Civil Service of the Federation Mr. Steve Oronsaye.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) spent the last three weeks to review the report and concluded the exercise on June 26.
But Presidential spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati described the scrapping of the agencies as speculative.
“The report is still at the FEC level and the committee was set up to review the White Paper.
“There is no final decision yet. Anything outside that is mere speculation.”
The Federal Government in 2011 inaugurated the Oronsaye Panel to restructure and rationalise Parastatals, Commissions and Agencies of the government as part of measures to reduce the rising budget profile.
After the submission of the report, a White Paper Committee was set up to look at the recommendations of the Presidential Committee.
The Federal Executive Council ratified the recommendations of the White Paper Committee.
According to a document obtained by our correspondent, some of the agencies to be scrapped are the BPE; National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP); Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC); Public Complaints Commission (PCC); Nigerian Export Promotion Council; Public Complaints Commission (PCC); National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC); Federal Highways Department; Utilities Charges Commission; and National Economic Intelligence Committee, among others.
The approval of the EFCC –ICPC merger was in line with the recommendation of the Oronsaye Panel.
The panel’s report said: “Extant anti-corruption laws should be repealed, while a new one is enacted to accommodate the consolidation of EFCC, ICPC and the Code of Conduct Bureau.
“The establishment of strong departments, among others, in the proposed consolidated structure is desirable as they would handle the following areas: (i) Prosecution; (ii) Investigation (iii) Prevention (Advocacy); and (iv) Asset declaration/ forfeiture. The Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit(NFIU) should be made autonomous.”
The highlights of FEC decisions are: .abolition of Fiscal Responsibility Commission. Attorney General and Minister of Justice directed to initiate necessary action for the abolition of the Commission;
.RMAFC is already empowered by the Constitution to carry out the function of Fiscal Responsibility Commission;
.the law establishing Police Service Commission be amended to make Minister of Police Affairs head of the Commission;
.EFCC and ICPC consolidated into one anti-corruption agency:
.a “Sunset Clause” is to be introduced to the BPE to conclude its assignment and wind down;
. withdrawal of the Military from the Contributory Pension Scheme should be reversed;
.PCC is to be merged with the Human Rights Commission, which has the capacity to perform the functions of the PCC. The PCC Act to be removed from the Constitution by amending Sections 153 and 315; and
.the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) is to be abolished and its law repealed. Its functions are to be transferred to the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).
The government directed that the enabling law of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) be amended to reflect the directive of FIFA that the Organisation should be renamed a Federation.
“The NYSC will be restructured with a view to developing a framework to cover critical areas of national socio-economic development to which Corps members would be deployed for their primary assignments.
“The Government accepts the Presidential Committee’s recommendation that COREN should no longer receive budgetary allocation from 2015 Fiscal Year.
“FERMA and the Federal Highways Department of the Federal Ministry of Works are to be transformed into an extra-ministerial department. The enabling law of FERMA is to be amended to reflect the change of status
The government accepts the Presidential Committee’s recommendation for the proper investigation of the allegations made by the National Boundaries Commission against the OSGOF over the funding of two non-existent boundary demarcations as well as the alleged illegal extension of Nigeria’s maritime boundary from 200 nautical miles to 350 nautical miles at $12 million without consulting.
“The Government directs the Border Communities Development Agency(BCDA) to relocate to the Presidency with its own line budget and be strengthened.”
The recommendation that NEMA be merged with the National Refugees Commission into one agency to be known as the National Emergency Management and Refugees Commission was rejected.
The government accepted the scrapping of NAPEP and directed that the functions of NAPEP be merged with those of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE).
“The government accepts the recommendation for the abolition of the Utilities Charges Commission and repeal of its enabling law. The government approves the redeployment of Staff of the Commission to the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, provided they are civil servants.
“The government rejects the recommendation of the Presidential Committee that the National Christian Pilgrimage Commission (NCPC) and the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) be abolished and their functions transferred to a department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“The government has also directed that the law establishing Police Service Commission be amended to make Hon. Minister of Police Affairs to head the Commission.”
Some of the agencies that survived are Code of Conduct Bureau; Council of State; Federal Character Commission; Federal Civil Service Commission; Federal Judicial Service Commission; Independent National Electoral Commission; National Defence Council; National Economic Council; National Judicial Council; National Population Commission; National Security Council; Nigeria Police Council; Revenue Mobilisation Allocation & Fiscal Commission; Bureau of Public Procurement; Central Bank of Nigeria; Code of Conduct Tribunal; Economic & Financial Crimes Commission & Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to be consolidated into one anti-corruption agency; Infrastructure Concessionary & Regulatory Commission (ICRC); National Pension Commission (PENCOM):; Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC); National Human Rights Commission (NHRC); and National Institute for Sports. The others are Nigeria Football Federation/Nigeria Football Association; Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre; Council for Registered Engineers (COREN); Surveyors Registration Council (SRC); FERMA and the Federal Highways Department of the Federal Ministry of Works; Office of Surveyor General of the Federation (OSGOF); National Boundary Commission; Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA); National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies; National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA); National Commission for Refugees; Debt Management Office; Niger Delta Power Holding Company ; National Planning Commission; National Bureau of Statistics; Centre for Management Development (CMD); National Institute of Social and Economic Research; and National Identity Management Commission. There are also Nigeria National Merit Award; Federal Road Safety Commission; Niger Delta Development Commission; New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD); National Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS (NACA); Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC);National Lottery Regulatory Commission; National Lottery Trust Fund; Service Compact with All Nigerians (SERVICOM); Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI); National Centre for Women Development.
SCRAPPED
Fiscal Responsibility Commission
Bureau of Public Enterprises
Nigerian Export Promotion Council
Public Complaints Commission (PCC)
National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC);
National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP)
Utilities Charges Commission
National Economic Intelligence Committee
PARASTATALS, COMMISSIONS & AGENCIES TO BE RETAINED
Code of Conduct Bureau
Council of State
Federal Character Commission
Federal Civil Service Commission
Federal Judicial Service Commission
Independent National Electoral Commission
National Defence Council
National Economic Council
National Judicial Council
National Population Commission
National Security Council
Nigeria Police Council
Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre:
The Centre is to be refocused on moral values and re-orientation
Council for Registered Engineers (COREN):
The Government accepts the Presidential Committee’s recommendation that COREN should no longer receive budgetary allocation from 2015 Fiscal Year
Surveyors Registration Council (SRC):
Budgetary Allocation to SRC shall be stopped with effect from 2015 Fiscal Year
Federal Roads Maintenance Agency:
FERMA and the Federal Highways Department of the Federal Ministry of Works are to be transformed into an extra-ministerial Department. The enabling law of FERMA to be amended to reflect the change of status
Office of Surveyor General of the Federation (OSGOF):
Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA):
The Government directs the BCDA to relocate to the Presidency with its own line budget and be strengthened
National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies
National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA):
The Government rejects the recommendation that NEMA be merged with National Refugees Commission into one agency to be known as the National Emergency Management and Refugees Commission
National Commission for Refugees
Debt Management Office
Niger Delta Power Holding Company
National Planning Commission
National Bureau of Statistics
Centre for Management Development (CMD)
National Institute of Social and Economic Research
National Identity Management Commission
Nigeria National Merit Award
Federal Road Safety Commission:
The Government rejects Presidential Committee’s recommendations that the Act setting up the FRSC should be repealed
Niger Delta Development Commission
New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD)
National Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS (NACA)
Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC):
The government rejects the recommendation of the Presidential Committee that the NCPC and the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria be abolished and their functions transferred to a department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
National Lottery Regulatory Commission
National Lottery Trust Fund
Service Compact with All Nigerians (SERVICOM)
Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI)
National Centre for Women Development