Sen. Ita Enang (PDP-Akwa Ibom), Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, has called on the Federal Government to implement the Steve Oronsaye Committee report to reduce recurrent expenditure.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that President Goodluck Jonathan set up a committee headed by Oronsaye, former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, to restructure and rationalise Federal Government's agencies.
This was with a view to identifying overlap or duplication of functions and make appropriate recommendations to the government.
Enang told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday that if the report was implemented, the cost of governance would be drastically reduced and more funds would be available for capital expenditure.
He said: “I am urging the President and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to take courage and implement the recommendations made by the Oronsaye Committee.
“Ministries and Departments with duplicating functions should be merged and officers transferred to the main service and dealt with according to civil service regulations.’’
Enang also noted the need to reduce the increasing funds budgeted for fuelling of generators in public offices by exploring the option of solar energy.
He added that the recurring demand for the purchase of computers by ministries and agencies should be discouraged so as to have more funds for visible projects.
“We need to reduce the demand for diesel and computers as this would reduce the cost of governance; there will be huge savings which will increase the capital budget and attract development.’’
The lawmaker advised the Ministry of Finance to always ensure early release of funds to enable Ministries, Departments and Agencies to fully implement the budget for the benefit of the people.
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