The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide Inclusive has said it is supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the implementation of the Oransanye-led panel report to reduce the cost of governance in the country.
The President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike during a press briefing in Abuja that the Council was surprised by a recent manipulated report circulated by fifth columnists. He stated that the report erroneously listed the Project Development Institute, PRODA, Enugu, as one of the government agencies to be merged or scrapped.
Nnabuike who expressed dismay cited the explicit directives outlined in both the Oronsaye Report and the report submitted by the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, which served as the basis for the Government White Paper.
He highlighted the SGF report titled “RE: RESTRUCTURING & RATIONALISATION OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PARASTATALS, COMMISSIONS AND AGENCIES,” emphasizing its provision in Item D, which states: “The Government accepts the recommendation that NASENI and NCAM be merged, excluding FIIRO and PRODA.
He said, “With the above, one then wonders the intent and drive of those behind the list being circulated in the media space.
“A little look into history shows that PRODA was a creation of the defunct East Central State Government. It was created through an edict in 1971.
“It was charged with the broad function of generating and catalyzing industrialization by carrying out industrial research from the laboratory stage to the pilot plant stage and by rendering consultancy services to the Governments, industries and individuals.
PRODA is one of the oldest research institutions under the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology.
“When the East Central State was split in 1976, the Federal Government recognized the need not to balkanize PRODA by the emerging states and hence took it over as a Federal Government Research Institute.
“Ever since then, PRODA has evolved under different leaderships, experiencing neglect from one time to the other.
“However, within the last few years, like a human being who miraculously came out of coma, PRODA again became a cynosure of all eyes, with a lot of reforms being initiated to take it back to the glory days.
“Without mincing words, it is clear that the same people who held PRODA down over the years are at it again. This time, they want to kill it completely for a reason best known to them, but definitely not in the national interest.
Nnabuike warned those doctoring the Oronsaye Report to “keep PRODA away from their evil agenda, as any attempt to implement the compromised version would not augur well. Enough of this humiliation and insult to the sensibilities of Ndigbo.
“We once more reaffirm our unflinching support to Mr President as he navigates the country out of the present economic crisis. Indeed, this administration shall succeed to the shame of naysayers.”
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