Abuja, – President Bola Tinubu has directed that only authorized officials with specific business at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) should attend the forthcoming meetings in New York.
This directive was revealed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila, during a one-day retreat organized by the State House management for heads of government agencies under its supervision. The retreat took place on Saturday in Abuja.
Addressing the participants, Honourable Gbajabiamila emphasized that the decision to streamline Nigeria’s delegation to the 79th session of UNGA in September aligns with the administration’s commitment to efficient resource management. He highlighted the necessity for the State House and its supervised agencies to operate in accordance with statutes, regulations, policy decisions, and presidential directives.
Gbajabiamila noted that the upcoming policy announcements would focus on ensuring efficient service delivery in 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 further explained that recent protests had raised concerns about the cost of governance, with many Nigerians anticipating whether the country would send a large delegation to UNGA as in previous years. “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,” Gbajabiamila asserted.
The Chief of Staff urged heads of agencies to comply strictly with this directive, adding that the President is attentive to the concerns of Nigerians and is committed to addressing them diligently.
