President Bola Tinubu has directed to reduce Nigeria’s official delegation to the upcoming 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States, this September, as revealed by Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, during a one-day retreat organized by the State House management for heads of government agencies.
The theme of the retreat was ‘Strengthening Institutional Mechanism for Effective Delivery.’ This directive was shared in a statement by Ajuri Ngelale, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, titled ‘President Tinubu directs that only authorized officials with business at UNGA should attend.’
In his address at the retreat, the Chief of Staff stated, “During recent protests, there were talks about reduction in 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 go about their personal businesses.”
“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.”
The decision to streamline Nigeria’s delegation to the UNGA in September aligns with the administration’s commitment to ensure prudent resource management and reduce governance costs. It emphasizes the importance of agencies operating under statutes, regulations, policy decisions, and presidential directives.
Gbajabiamila hinted at upcoming policy announcements focused on enhancing service delivery efficiency within government operations.
“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,” he stated.
He urged heads of agencies at the retreat to strictly adhere, highlighting the President’s dedication to addressing Nigerian concerns and emphasized the need for collaboration and coordination among government agencies to achieve President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda objectives.
He mentioned that the retreat will ensure coherence in working together towards meeting the expectations of the Nigerian people.
As governance is an evolving process that requires regular adjustments, the Chief of Staff emphasized the need for continuous exercises like the retreat to enhance compliance with governing laws and regulations.
It is essential for the State House management and agency executives to demonstrate excellence by complying with various policies and acts to enhance governance.
Gbajabiamila stressed the importance of upholding civil service rules, service guidelines pertaining to recruitment, promotion, and presidential approvals, emphasizing that compliance is non-negotiable.