BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu
President Bola Tinubu has slashed the number of Nigeria's official delegation to the forthcoming 79th session of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, United States.
The decision to trim down the number of participants at the conference slated for September, is part of the administration’s commitment to ensure prudent management of resources and reduce the cost of governance.
To this end, the President directed that only authorised officials with business at UNGA are expected to attend the conference.
Chief of Staff to the President, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila stated this on Saturday in Abuja during a one-day retreat organised by the State House management for heads of government agencies under its supervision.
News Rider reports that UNGA is the only universally representative body of the United Nations that makes recommendations on issues related to international peace and security, including development, disarmament, human rights, international law, and the peaceful arbitration of disputes between nations.
There are 193 UN member states including Nigeria, each with a vote in the General Assembly.
Gbajabiamila added: "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 reduction in 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,” he said.
The chief of staff urged heads of agencies at the retreat to comply strictly, adding that the President is listening to the concerns of Nigerians and is committed to addressing them diligently.
He stated that the retreat would facilitate collaboration and coordination among government agencies, particularly 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.
He informed that the retreat would be a continuous exercise, as governance is an evolving process that requires regular adjustments.
The CoS also enjoined the State House management and chief executives of agencies under its supervision to lead by example by complying with statutes, laws, regulations, and various policies designed to enhance governance.
"We must demonstrate excellence in our compliance with the Public Procurement Act, Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria Act, the Finance Act, and various appropriation acts in operation.
"Compliance with the civil service rules and the scheme of service guidelines, especially regarding recruitment, promotion and presidential approvals is also non-negotiable," Gbajabiamila said.
The theme of the one-day retreat was ‘Strengthening Institutional Mechanism for Effective Delivery', as contained in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity, Chief Ajuri Ngelale on Saturday in Abuja.
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