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Tinubu’s government opens up on Nigerian workers losing their jobs over implementation of Oronsaye Report

Published

2 months ago

February 28, 2024

The federal government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has opened up on the fear of Nigerian workers losing their jobs over the implementation of Oronsaye Report.

On Monday, Tinubu issued a directive for the comprehensive implementation of a report compiled by a committee established by former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2012.

The report which is known as the Oronsaye report on public sector reforms, identified a total of 541 federal government parastatals, commissions, and agencies, both statutory and non-statutory.

Based on the committee’s recommendations, certain agencies are slated for merger, while others are recommended for elimination, to reduce the overall cost of governance.

This directive has stirred a sense of apprehension among some agencies and Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

But speaking at the fourth edition of the Ministerial Press Briefing Series in Abuja on Wednesday, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the implementation of the report would not lead to retrenchment.

“The whole idea is that government wants to reduce cost and also improve efficiency in service delivery. It does not mean that government is out to retrench workers or throw people into the labour market,” Idris said.

“Through the implementation of 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.”

The minister, who said Nigerians were beginning to see the benefits of the reforms being spearheaded by the president 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 added 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.

He said the achievements being recorded in the economy were 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.

Minister said the President has 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 given the temporary economic hardship.

He said after the review of the National Social Investment Programme, the President has given approval for the resumption of the direct payments of N25,000 to 15 million households.