Nigeria: President Tinubu streamlines delegation for UN General Assembly to cut governance costs

President Bola Tinubu has directed that only authorized officials with specific business should attend the forthcoming United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meetings in New York, United States.

This directive aims to streamline Nigeria’s official delegation, marking a significant departure from previous practices.

The directive was disclosed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, during a one-day retreat organized by the State House management for heads of government agencies under its supervision.

The retreat, held in Abuja, focused on enhancing coordination and collaboration among government agencies.

Addressing the participants, Honourable Gbajabiamila emphasized the administration commitment to resource management and cost reduction.

He clarified that the decision to limit the delegation to only those with specific responsibilities at UNGA aligns with President Tinubu’s broader objective of ensuring efficient governance.

“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 the reduction in the cost of governance. Everyone is waiting to see if Nigeria, as in the past, will send the ‘largest delegation’ to UNGA,” said Gbajabiamila.

Highlighting past instances where individuals misused international meetings for personal business, Gbajabiamila conveyed the President’s strict directive, “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.”

He urged the heads of agencies to comply meticulously, underscoring that the president is attentive to the concerns of Nigerians and is dedicated to addressing them.