By The Analyst Online Media
ABUJA, Nigeria — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the immediate dissolution of the Presidential Implementation Committee (PIC) on the Alienation of Federal Government Properties, bringing to an end a committee established over two decades ago to oversee the privatisation, sale and lease of federal government landed assets.
The President also directed the committee's Secretary, B.S. Dutsin-Ma, to immediately cease parading himself or acting on behalf of the dissolved committee or the Federal Government on matters relating to its former activities.
The directive was conveyed in a statement issued on Thursday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the Presidency, all responsibilities previously handled by the committee will now be coordinated by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).
"The President has approved the immediate dissolution of the Presidential Implementation Committee (PIC) on the Alienation of Federal Government Properties. Henceforth, all matters relating to the activities of the Committee will be coordinated by the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice," the statement said.
The Presidential Implementation Committee was created in 2000 during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to implement the Federal Government's monetisation policy, particularly the disposal, sale and lease of federal government landed assets.
The committee was chaired by the then Minister of Housing and included representatives from key ministries, including Transportation, Justice, Health, Agriculture, and the Nigeria Police Force, alongside members from the public and private sectors.
According to the Presidency, a review of the committee's operations revealed that it had gone beyond its original mandate, resulting in numerous litigations across different parts of the country.
"The activities of the PIC had extended beyond its original mandate, resulting in multiple litigations across the country, and the continued existence of the Committee is no longer justified," the statement noted.
Consequently, President Tinubu ordered the immediate dissolution of the committee and directed that all pending matters relating to its operations be handled by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation.
The Presidency further stressed that the committee has ceased to exist and reiterated that B.S. Dutsin-Ma must immediately stop representing the dissolved body or acting on behalf of the Federal Government in relation to its affairs.
The directive takes effect immediately, marking a significant restructuring of the Federal Government's management of issues relating to the alienation and disposal of federal landed assets.
The Analyst Insight: The dissolution signals the Tinubu administration's determination to centralise oversight of federal property matters under the Office of the Attorney General, a move officials say is aimed at addressing legal disputes and ensuring greater accountability in the management of government assets.