As anxieties continue to mount over the planned implementation of the Stephen Oronsaye report by the Federal Government, the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), has warned that job losses associated with the implementation of the report could further escalate industrial action by the organized labour in the country..
The National President of the association, Comrade Tommy Etim, who gave the warning during a press briefing in Abuja, commended the government for trying to reduce the cost of governance through the implementation of the report but that that the cost-cutting should be done holistically.
He said: “As a union, we have been on this issue of cutting the cost of governance and this has to be done holistically, taking into consideration all arms of government: the executive, legislative and judiciary.
“These will be the best ways to make governance efficient, cost-effective and productive. Let me also say that being in the union does not warrant blind and thoughtless criticism. Whenever the government takes the right decision, we should agree and if need be, suggest even better ideas to move the nation forward just like what the Trade Union Congress did by forwarding 15 points suggestions to Mr. President on how to get the nation out of the woods.
“We have been clamouring for government at all levels to cut the cost of governance, to us, this is one of the best ways to achieve it. Therefore, there is the need for the government to drastically cut the cost of governance, eliminate the overlapping of responsibilities to ensure that responsibilities are appropriately domiciled, increasing efficiency, effectiveness, increased productivity, national competitiveness and international ranking”, the labour leader added.
According to him, the government should ensure that there is no job loss during the report’s implementation while the National Assembly should also put on hold any legislation aimed at creating more agencies in the public service.
The ASCSN leader canvassed: “Government should ensure that the Acts establishing these agencies of government are repealed before the implementation to forestall litigation.
“The government must as a matter of urgency do away with unnecessary and needless wastage of our scarce resources on frivolities, and deploy such funds to the critical areas of Education, Health, Transportation, Food Security, National Security and pulling people out of poverty. However, these should be done with due diligence because those who will be directly affected are mostly civil servants.
“Let me use this opportunity to call on the Constitution Review Committee to also consider either making the National Assembly operate on a part-time basis or making it a uni-camera Legislature to cut the cost of governance because there are no such distinctive features between both Houses except for confirmation of Ministers and other statutory compliance which could be addressed once the Constitution is amended.
“The National Assembly should stop further consideration of Bills for the establishment of government agencies to reduce wastages.
“We call on the government to make a conscious effort to cushion the effect of this major overhaul on the workers to avoid bringing more people into hardship at this very challenging and trying time.
“The government should also carry out more enlightenment campaigns to educate the populace on the gains of implementing the report. We also believe that the government should involve organized labour in the implementation process to ensure credibility.
“Finally, we warn that job loss at this critical time of our socio-economic challenges and food crisis would be a recipe for mass protest and industrial unrest”, Etim added.
The President Bola Tinubu-led administration had last week initiated moves for the implementation of the Stephen Oronsaye report 12 years after its submission to reduce the cost of governance.
Based on the mandate of the implementation committee inaugurated by the President on the exercise, 29 government agencies will be merged, eight parastatals will be subsumed into eight other agencies, four agencies have been relocated to four various ministries while one was earmarked for scrapping.
