The Nigerian House of Representatives Ad HOC Committee to Investigate Duplication of Functions of Agencies of the Federal Government of Nigeria has continued its interaction with agencies.
The agencies in focus at the committee’s resumed hearing were; National Commission for Museums and Monuments, National Council for Arts and Culture, National Gallery of Art, Nigeria Tourism Development Commission, and the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism
In his submission at the hearing, the Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture, Otunba Segun Ronsewe, says he is in support of the ongoing move by the House of Representatives to merge and streamline some federal government-owned agencies.
He described the move as one which will make some of the agencies stronger and more effective in the discharge of their responsibilities.
“The five agencies can be merged. I totally agree with you. Culture and tourism cannot be separated, as is the case in Nigeria. You can’t go to Dubai today and be hearing all these names (agencies) here. It is just culture and tourism,” Runsewe said.
He stated that some sister parastatals have been trying to operate parallel functions.
He also said that the proliferation of carnivals in Nigeria rather than helping the industry, has affected it negatively.
Also speaking in defence of his agency, the Director General of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism, Mr. Nura Kangiwa insisted that there were no similarities between his organisation and any other, saying that his is a training centre for practitioners.
The the Director General of the National Commission for Museums and monuments, NCMM Mr. Abba Isa Tijani, said that Nigeria needs his agency for the preservation of its cultural monuments.
The Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Victor Danzaria said that the essence of the engagement was to look into how desirable the agencies were to prevent government wastage of resources.
The Committee was giving the mandate to i. Investigate duplication of duties, overlapping functions and counter-productivity of established Ministries, Departments, Agencies, Boards and Corporations in the country; ii. Ascertain the root cause of regular bickering among some established Departments, Agencies, Boards and Parastatals in the country; and III. Establish areas of mergers, synergies, and justification of the existence of some of the established Ministries, Departments, Agencies, Boards and
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila had on June 29, inaugurated an Ad hoc committee with the mandate to investigate and determine such agencies, and to recommend appropriate action to the larger house.
