By MIKAIL MUMUNI
The Federal Government (FG) has rejected recommendation for the scrapping of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, (NAHCON) and the Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC) made by the Presidential Committee on Restructuring and Rationalization of Federal Government Parastatals, Commissions and Agencies.
The rejection was contained in the Federal Government White Paper, issued on the report of the Committee, otherwise known as The Stephen Oronsaye Committee, obtained by The State Online.
The Committee had recommended that: (i) Government restricts itself only to the provision of Consular services and vaccines to intending pilgrims; (ii) Pilgrims be encouraged to save for their individual religious obligations (iii) the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria and the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission be abolished and their functions transferred to a department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; (iv) the enabling laws of the two Commissions be repealed accordingly; (v) the Federal Government stops sponsoring pilgrims with effect from the 2012 Fiscal Year; and (vi) that Government stops granting concessionary foreign exchange rate pilgrims.
In the White Paper, the Federal Government rejected the recommendation that it restricts itself to the provision of Consular services and vaccines to intending pilgrims; (i), It noted the recommendation Pilgrims be encouraged to save for their individual religious obligations (ii), It rejected the recommendation for the scrapping of the two Commissions (iii), It rejected (iv), rejected (v) and noted (vi).
Other agencies the Committee recommended for scrapping are: the Fiscal Responsibility Commission, National Poverty Eradication Programme, Utilities Charges Commission (UCC), National Economic Intelligence Committee and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC). It also suggesting the merger of other bodies with similar responsibilities.
The Stephen Oronsaye Committee was inaugurated on 18th August 2011 by the former President Goodluck Jonathan and the implementation of the White Paper by the Federal Government on it was expected to take effect in 2014 but was not implemented.
On Thursday, 30th April, 2020 however, President Muhammadu Buhari directed Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, and Head of Service (HoS) Mrs. Folashade Yemi Esan to commence the implementation of the White Paper.