President Bola Tinubu has barred unauthorized officials from attending the forthcoming United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meetings in New York, United States.
This directive aims to reduce the cost of governance, as widely advocated by Nigerians.
The announcement was made in a statement issued by Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President, on August 17, 2024, titled “PRESIDENT TINUBU DIRECTS THAT ONLY AUTHORIZED OFFICIALS WITH BUSINESS AT UNGA SHOULD ATTEND.”
Widespread Calls for Reduction in the Cost of Governance
The directive follows less than a year after the Presidency was criticized by several Nigerians over its bloated number of delegates at the COP28 Climate Summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Jideofor Adibe, a Professor of Political Science, noted that the 1,411 Nigerian delegates who accompanied President Tinubu to the Climate Summit in Dubai cast doubt on the Federal Government’s ‘compassion’ for the suffering masses.
In a statement by the presidency, Tinubu issued a directive to reduce the size of Nigeria’s official delegation to the forthcoming UNGA.
This directive was announced by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Saturday in Abuja at a one-day retreat organized by the State House management for heads of government agencies under its supervision.
The Chief of Staff stated that the decision to streamline Nigeria’s delegation to the 79th session of UNGA in September is part of Tinubu’s commitment to reducing the cost of governance in line with the yearnings of Nigerians.
He said:
“I just discussed with the President this afternoon. In the next few weeks, we are going to see a test of this policy during UNGA in New York.
“During recent protests, there were talks about reducing the cost of governance. Everyone is waiting to see if Nigeria, as in the past, will send the ‘largest delegation’ to UNGA.
“From experience, we know that some individuals use the opportunity of such international meetings to pursue personal business interests.
“I have received a directive from Mr. President that this time, we will be strict. If you have no business at the UN General Assembly, do not step foot in America, and this is a directive from Mr. President.”
Gbajabiamila took the opportunity to seek collaboration between government agencies, especially those under the direct supervision of the State House.
“The idea is to ensure coherence as we jointly work together to achieve the objectives of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Coordination is not just a choice but a necessity for the government to succeed and for us to meet the expectations of the Nigerian people,” he said, as quoted by Ajuri.
He emphasized that stakeholders must demonstrate excellence in compliance with the Public Procurement Act, the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria Act, the Finance Act, and various appropriation acts in operation.
According to him, compliance with civil service rules and the scheme of service guidelines, especially regarding recruitment, promotion, and presidential approvals, is also non-negotiable.
If the Presidency’s decision to streamline Nigeria’s delegation to UNGA materializes, it would be a response to part of the critical demands made by Nigerians.