SOLA ONI argues for a comprehensive audit and public register of all agencies of government
There is something deeply troubling about the emergence of entities that present themselves as government agencies, councils, offices or special projects while questions continue to be raised about their authenticity, legal status and access to public resources. At a time when Nigeria is struggling to strengthen fiscal discipline, improve public-sector efficiency and restore citizens’ confidence in government, the reported emergence of such bodies should not be dismissed as another bureaucratic curiosity. It should be treated as a serious governance emergency.
The controversy surrounding the disputed Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFPC), founded by Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, and the reported operation of another entity known as the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office has raised a fundamental question: What public resources, if any, have been made available to these organisations?
This question goes beyond the identities of the organisations involved. It exposes a potentially more dangerous phenomenon: the gradual institutionalisation of structures that may operate in the shadows of government without the transparency and accountability expected of legitimate public institutions. More importantly, are there other similar agencies still operating under the cover of darkness?
