From Odimmegwa Johnpeter, Abuja
The Committee on the review of the structure of ministries departments and agencies in the federal civil service has submitted its report to the Acting Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita.
Receiving the report, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita thanked the members of the Committee for “a good job executed on time”, noting that, the committee, which is made up of former top functionaries and serving senior civil servants, has indeed brought its wealth of experience to bear in the final report. The HOS said that the structure of the service had to be reviewed in order to guide the ministers and ministries particularly those merged in view of their new scopes and responsibilities. She assured the members that the report will be forwarded to the President for his study and further directives.
Earlier the Chairman of the Committee Eng. Ebele O. Okeke, called on the federal government to review the enabling acts of some merged entities which may have consequences for the mergers. She further noted that the committee has suggested that the most Senior Directors in some merged departments in some Ministries be designated Coordinating Director to ensure Coordination and Synergy.
Other recommendations of the committee include the professionalisation of the Human Resource Management Department in all Ministries for effective performance. In order to forge a closer link between planning and budgeting, the committee recommended that planning, research and statistics should be renamed Department of Planning, Budget, Research and Statistics.
The committee which was inaugurated on the 17th of November has 16 members which include four former Heads of service, five former Permanent Secretaries and five serving permanent secretaries.