Tinubu in policy somersault
By Msugh Ityokura
President Bola Tinubu’s policy inconsistency is beginning to unsettle the people as most Nigerians are beginning to lose faith in his government.
In early 2024, Tinubu’s government announced plans to merge some Ministries, Departments, Agencies, and MDAs of government as a deliberate measure towards cutting the cost of governance.
This followed the recommendations of a report of a former Head of Service, HoS of the federation, Stephen Orasanye during the administration of former president, Goodluck Jonathan which was not implemented at that time
For about a year now, the government which announced the cost-cutting measure by merging the MDAs seems to be at a crossroads following its failure to implement the policy
Just over four months ago, the Office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation, OSGF said the merging exercise was underway with assurances that it would soon be completed.
A memo according to findings had already been sent to the affected offices to put them on notice.
The director of information in the OSGF, Shegun Imohiosen had assured that the exercise was ongoing and would be announced at conclusion by the office of the permanent secretary, general services in the OSGF.
However, the Tinubu administration’s growing inconsistency in policies is making the people lose confidence in the government, especially with the creation of the new Ministry of Livestock Development having promised to reduce the number of ministries.
Also, his subsequent appointment of the heads of some agencies earlier penciled down for merging has further reduced the people’s trust in the administration
For instance, the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria according to the federal government as announced earlier this year is to be merged with the Voice of Nigeria, while the National Commission for Museum and Monuments will be merged with the National Gallery of Acts.
The National Theatre will merge with the National Troupe of Nigeria, while the National Meteorological Development Centre will merge with the National Meteorological Training Institute.
READ ALSO: FG designate Ekpa, 16 others as terrorism financiers
The National Agency for Control of HIV/AIDS (NACA) is to be merged with the Centre for Disease Control in the Federal Ministry of Health, while National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is to be merged with the National Commission for Refugee Migration and Internally Displaced Persons.
The Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa will be merged with the Directorate of Technical Aid to function as a department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, ICRC is to be merged with the Bureau for Public Enterprises, BPE while the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission will merge with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council.
But in total contradiction to the policy, the president appointed Mr. Jobson Ewalefoh as the Director-General, DG of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), which was to be merged with BPE
The creation of the new ministry and the appointment into an agency earlier scheduled for merging has sent a bad signal to Nigerians in the direction the government is heading.
With the troubling economy, occasioned by government policies, perceived to be anti-people, the Tinubu administration needs to do more to regain the confidence of the people.
