News

On February 26, 2024, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR directed the implementation of the Stehpen Oronsaye report after 12 years. This call, which has been made by every successive government, including the immediate past administration, was received with a pinch of salt in some quarters given the President’s bloated cabinet size that points to the contrary.

The Center for Fiscal Transparency at the time issued a statement calling on the government to show commitment by first, updating the report given that there have been fundamental structural changes since the report was produced. The Center also called on the government to issue clear implementation timeline to empower the media and civil society organizations (CSOs) to independently monitor progress and ensure adherence to the report’s guidelines.

Despite our call, the administration has not only failed to show commitment to implementing the report as promised, but has taken steps that are at variance with the recommendations of the report, the latest being the recent announcement of the creation of the “Federal Ministry of Livestock Development” during an event that also saw the inauguration of the Presidential Committee on Livestock Reforms. For the record, with this additional ministry, there would be 36 ministries overall and 49 ministers, a record for the most cabinet appointments made by a president.

Read more on the external link