The Federal Government may soon put up for sale its majority shares in the country’s satellite company, Nigeria Communications Satellite Limited (NIgComSat).
This is coming on the heels of Monday’s approval of the implementation of the Oronsaye report by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
According to the report’s Whitepaper, the recommendation for the sale of NigComSat was one of the few accepted by the government among several others affecting agencies and parastatals under the Ministry of Communications.
“The functions of NigComSat that relate to space development be reverted to the National Space Research recommendation. Development Agency (NASRDA).
“Budgetary allocations to the NigComSat cease from the 2013 Fiscal Year.”
In its Whitepaper on the report, the government said it accepted all the recommendations, noting that it would only retain minority shares in the company.
NCC, NIPOST, NBC merger rejected
Meanwhile, the government rejected several other recommendations that would have seen the merger of agencies under the Ministry of Communications.
The Oronsaye Committee had recommended that that Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the regulatory functions of the Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST) be brought together under a unified management structure to be known as the Communications Regulatory Authority of Nigerian (CRAN).
“At least three directorates be created under the proposed CRAN to perform the functions of broadcast, telecommunications and regulatory functions of postal services;
“The enabling laws of NCC and NBC be repealed and another enacted for the proposed Communications Regulatory recommendation Authority of Nigeria (CRAN) ; and that the enabling law of NIPOST be amended to reflect, among others, the transfer of its regulatory functions to the proposed CRAN.”
FULL LIST
AGENCIES TO BE SCRAPPED
1. Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate to be scrapped and functions transferred to the Federal Ministry of Finance
2. National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC) to be scrapped and functions transferred to the department of Basic and Secondary Education in Federal Ministry of Education.
AGENCIES TO BE MERGED
1. National Agency for the Control of Aids (NACA) to be merged under the Centre for Disease Control in Federal Ministry of Health.
2. National Emergency Agency (NEMA) to be merged with National Commission Refugee, Migration and Internally Displaced persons [NCFRMI].
3. Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa (DTCA) to be merged with Directorate of Technical Aid (DTAC) and to function as a department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
4. Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission (ICRC) to be merged with Bureau for Public Enterprise (BPE).
5. Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) to be merged with Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC).
6. National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) to be merged with National Centre for Agriculture Mechanization (NCAM) and Project Development Institute (PRODA)
7. National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) to be merged with National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB).
8. National Institute for Leather Science Technology (NILEST) to be merged with National Institute for Chemical Technology (NARICT).
9. The Nomadic Education Commission (NEC) to be merged with National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult Education and Non Formal Education.
10. Federal Radio Corporation (FRCN) to be merged with Voice of Nigeria (VON)
11. The National Commission for Museums and Monuments to be merged with National gallery of Arts.
12. The National Theatre to be merged with National Troupe of Nigeria.
13. The National Metallurgical Development Centre (NMDC) to be merged with National Metallurgical Training Institute (NMTI).
14.Nigerian Army University (NAUB)should be merged Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA)
15.Airforce Institute of Technology (AFIT) should be merged Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA)
AGENCIES TO BE SUBSUMED
- Service Compact with all Nigerians (SERVICOM) to be subsumed to function as a department under Bureau for Public Service Reforms (BPSR).
- Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA) to be subsumed to function as a department under the National Boundary Commission (NBC).
- National Salaries, Income and Wages Commissioned (NSIWC) to be subsumed into Revenue Mobilization & Fiscal Allocation Commission (RMAFC).
- Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution to be subsumed under Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA)
- Public Complains Commission (PCC) to be subsumed under National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
- Nigerian Institute for Trypanosomiasis (NITR) to be subsumed into Institute of Veterinary Research (VOM).
- Nigerian Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA) to be subsumed under the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD).
- National Intelligence Agency Pension Commission to be subsumed under the administration of Nigerian Pension Commission (PenCom).
- The Nigerian Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) to be subsumed as a department in the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy.
AGENCIES TO BE RELOCATED
1. Niger Delta Powerholding Company (NDHC) to be relocated to Ministry of Power.
2. National Agricultural Land Development Agency [NALDA] to be relocated to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security
3. National Blood Service Commission to be converted into an Agency and relocated to the Federal Ministry of Health
4. Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) to be converted into an Agency and transferred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
