Cost of governance: Tinubu bans unauthorized officials from attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York
President Bola Tinubu has banned unauthorized officials from attending the upcoming sessions of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, USA.
The aim of this policy is to reduce the cost of government, as widely desired by Nigerians.
The announcement was made in a statement by Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President, on 17 August 2024 entitled “PRESIDENT TINUBU INSTRUCTS THAT ONLY AUTHORIZED OFFICIALS WITH BUSINESS DUTIES SHOULD ATTEND THE UNGA.”
Widespread calls for a reduction in government and governance costs
The directive comes less than a year after the presidency was criticised by several Nigerians over the inflated number of delegates at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Jideofor Adibe, professor of political science, noted that the 1,411 Nigerian delegates who accompanied President Tinubu to the climate summit in Dubai expressed doubts about the federal government’s “compassion” for the suffering masses.
Tinubu’s instruction
In a presidential statement, Tinubu directed the reduction of the size of Nigeria’s official delegation to the upcoming UN General Assembly.
The directive was announced on Saturday by the Presidential Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, at a one-day retreat in Abuja organised by the State House management for heads of government agencies under its control.
The Chief of Staff explained that the decision to downsize the Nigerian delegation to the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September was part of Tinubu’s commitment to reducing the cost of governance in line with the wishes of Nigerians.
He said:
“I just spoke with the President this afternoon. In the next few weeks we will see a test of this policy during the UN General Assembly in New York.
“During the recent protests, there was talk of cutting government costs. Everyone is waiting to see if Nigeria will send the ‘largest delegation’ to UNGA as it has done in the past.
“We know from experience that some people use the opportunity of such international meetings to pursue personal business interests.
“I have received instructions from the President that we will be strict this time. If you have no business in the UN General Assembly, do not enter America. This is an instruction from the President.”
Further insights
Gbajabiamila used the opportunity to seek cooperation among government agencies, particularly those under the direct supervision of the State House.
“The idea is to ensure coherence as we work together to achieve the goals of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Coordination is not just a choice but a necessity for the success of the government and for us to meet the expectations of the Nigerian people,” he said, according to Ajuri.
He stressed that stakeholders must demonstrate excellence in compliance with the Public Procurement Act, the Nigerian Financial Reporting Council Act, the Finance Act and various applicable appropriations laws.
According to him, compliance with civil service regulations and rostering guidelines, particularly with regard to recruitment, promotion and presidential approval, is also non-negotiable.
If the Presidency’s decision to reduce the size of the Nigerian delegation to the UN General Assembly is implemented, this would be a response to some of the critical demands of Nigerians.
