Peter Obi, the candidate of the Labour Party, LP, has applauded the implementation of the Oronsaye report by the President Bola Tinubu-led administration.
Obi, in a statement published on his verified X page on Wednesday, noted that “implementing the report is one of the best ways to make governance efficient, cost-effective, and productive.”
Applauding Tinubu for the move to implement the report, the former governor of Anambra State noted that “being in opposition does not warrant blind and thoughtless criticism.”
Obi made the remarks while responding to questions about whether he would have implemented the Oronsaye report had he become president.
Obi, who answered in the affirmative, stated that “the implementation of the report is long overdue,” adding that “its implementation is a welcome development.”
Obi, who stated “Whenever the government takes the right decision, we should agree and, if need be, propose related or even better ideas to move the nation forward,” noted that “the government should now do away with the bogus and needless wastages of our scarce resources on frivolous issues and deploy such funds to the critical areas of education, health, and pulling people out of poverty.”
Obi’s statement partly reads, “I have received several text messages from people wanting to know if I would have implemented the Oronsaye Report, whose full implementation has just been directed by the President.
“In response to their questions, I would like to refer everyone to my manifesto and my response to similar questions during my campaigns. On October 5, 2022, at Harvard University, I was asked, “Will you implement the Oronsaye Report?” and I responded in the affirmative.
“I went further to explain that implementing the report is one of the best ways to make governance efficient, cost-effective, and productive. Being in opposition does not warrant blind and thoughtless criticism.
“Whenever the government makes the right decision, we should agree and, if need be, propose related or even better ideas to move the nation forward.”
Obi added, “I have always been an advocate of the 3 critical components of the Oronsaye Report, which are: i) drastically cutting the cost of governance; ii) eliminating the overlapping of responsibilities to ensure that responsibilities are appropriately domiciled; and iii) increasing efficiency and effectiveness, which will increase productivity.
“Although the implementation of the report is long overdue, its implementation is a welcome development so long as the decision is informed by these principles. Beyond implementing the Oronsaye Report, the government should go further and cut the cost of governance across the board.
“Having found it imperative to implement the report, the government should now do away with the bogus and needless wastages of our scarce resources on frivolous issues and deploy such funds to the critical areas of education, health, and pulling people out of poverty.
“However, we must not rush to implement the Oronsaye Report just because those that will be directly affected are mostly civil servants. A very deep understanding of the workings of the federal bureaucracy will be required to effectively implement the report.
“Grasping the symmetries between the federal and the other tiers of government will be imperative as federal agencies have branches and outreaches in all 36 states.”
Furthermore, Obi called on political elites in the country, saying, “We, the political leaders, should be ready to back up such implementation with our sacrifices from comfort and selfishness for the overall development of the nation.
“In implementing this report, a conscious effort must be made to cushion the effects of such a major overhaul on the workers, to avoid driving more people into hardship in these very challenging times.
“Also, Nigerians are yet to be informed about the existing white paper pertinent to the report’s implementation. Moreover, you cannot ask those who are likely to be affected by the downsizing to manage the process.
“Government must also clearly show the amount of resources to be saved in the implied shrinking of government. It should also indicate clearly where and how the saved resources are to be redeployed.
“More importantly, the implementation needs to be accompanied by a template to avoid future bloating of the government. By doing the right things and implementing the right policies, we will build the New Nigeria of our dreams.”
