FG Approves Scrapping of NECO, NAPEP, Others

As part of efforts to streamline the public sector and cut the cost of governance, the federal government has approved the scrapping of the National Examinations Council (NECO) and the National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP). It is also set to decentralise the conduct of entrance examinations to universities and other tertiary institutions through the planned reorganisation of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), responsible for conducting Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in the country. A highly-placed source in the presidency said Tuesday that the overhaul of the public service was in line with the recommendations of the Presidential Committee on the Rationalisation and Restructuring of Federal Government Parastatals and Commissions led by former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mr. Steve Oronsaye. The Oronsaye committee, which was set up to reduce cost of governance, had in the executive summary of the 110-page report submitted to the Office of the Vice-President recommended the scrapping of 38 agencies, merger of 52 and reversal of 14 to departments in existing ministries. The source said President Goodluck Jonathan took the decision to scrap NECO and NAPEP, among other agencies, after considering the White Paper on the Orosanye report.