Mixed reactions have trailed Nigeria’s 1,411 delegates who accompanied the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the ongoing Climate Change Conference (COP28) holding in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
On social media, some concern Nigerians argued the number of these delegates claiming that the government used public funds to pay their trip at a time when the people can hardly afford food and basic needs as a result of economic hardship.
Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi who slammed the government over these delegates, said vast majority of these contingent are either non relevant civil servants or relations, friends and hangers-on of high government officials.
He said most of them hardly understand or have anything to do with Climate Change, claiming that this huge contingent is out at public expense at a time when most Nigerians can hardly afford food and basic needs as a result of economic hardship.
He ironically congratulated the giant of Africa, Nigeria, for matching the great China, with the same number of contingents, saying that Nigeria’s contingent to COP28 totaled 1411, the same number as the Chinese contingents.
Obi noted that China’s budget for 2024 is about $4 trillion, about $2,860 per head; while Nigeria’s budget is about $33 billion, about $165 per head.
Comparing the two countries, he said China has a high Human Development Index, HDI, with a ranking of 79 out of 191 countries measured, and Nigeria has a low HDI, with a ranking of 163 out of 191 countries measured.
Peter Obi added, “Nigeria has more people living in ‘Multi-Dimensional’ poverty than China, despite China having seven times our population. I pray earnestly that a day will come soon enough when we can focus on competing with China on productivity.
“And the miracle of migrating the highest number of its citizens out of poverty over a relatively short time. As we’ve kept emphasizing, we must stop waste as a a tradition of our government and nation. We urgently need to cut the cost of governance and invest in production” he said.
Labour Party Candidate urged Nigerians to de-emphasize unnecessary ceremony and showmanship as a mode of government behaviour. “We need to tie spending to necessity and national Priority. A New Nigeria is possible. We only need to do the reasonable and the necessary”, he said.
In its response, the Presidency explained the reason behind the 1,411 Nigerian contigent who accompanied President Tinubu to the ongoing COP28 holding in Dubai.
According to the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, who made it clear that not all Nigerians at the event were sponsored by the federal government.
Ajayi, in his article titled ‘Nigeria at COP28: Separating the facts from fiction,’ stated that the Nigerian delegation are business leaders, environmentalists, climate activists and journalists.
He explained that the ongoing Summit in Dubai has over 97,000 delegates from more than 100 countries around the world which is the 28th in the series since the issue of climate change and action took preeminent stage in global affairs.
Ajayi said, “When the world comes together to take actions on achieving a common goal and proffer collective solutions to a nagging global concern, there are parties involved from government, private sector, civil society, media and multilateral institutions.
“The people coming together to advance their different agenda and interests from governments, businesses and civil societies are the parties to the convention who represent various shades of opinions and pushing for various mitigating actions.
Adding that, “In Nigeria like so many other countries, interested parties comprising government officials from both the Federal and sub-national governments, business leaders, environmentalists, climate activists and journalists are present in Dubai.
“Also participating are agencies of government such as the NNPC and its subsidiaries, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, NIMASA, NDDC. Many youth organisations from Nigeria especially from the Northern and Niger-Delta regions whose lives and livelihoods are most impacted by desert encroachment and hydrocarbon activities are also represented.
“The President of Ijaw Youth Council, Jonathan Lokpobiri, leads a pan-Ijaw delegation of more than 15 people who registered as parties from Nigeria. Among delegates from Nigeria are also over 20 journalists from various media houses.
“Their participation is very important. It is not for jamboree as it is being mischievously represented on social media.
“It is important to state here that delegates from all countries whether from government, private sector, media and civil society groups attend COP summits and conferences as parties and the number of attendees are registered against their countries of origin.
“This does not mean that they are sponsored or funded by the government. It must be said also that the fact that people registered to attend a conference does not mean everyone that registered is physically present.
“As the biggest country in Africa, biggest economy and one with a bigger stake on climate action as a country with huge extractive economy, it is a no-brainer that delegates from Nigeria will be more than any other country in Africa.
“Among the delegates from Nigeria are UBA Chairman, Tony Elumelu, Abdul Samad Rabiu, Chairman of BUA group, other billionaires whose businesses promoting sustainability and climate actions through their philanthropies.
“These businessmen and women and their staff who came with them to promote their own business interests are part of the 1,411 delegates from Nigeria. Their trip to Dubai is not funded by the Federal Government.
“United Nations Climate summit, by its very nature, commands attendance of big names from across the world – statesmen and women, politicians, lawmakers, corporate titans, journalists and activists, etc who promote big global agenda.
“So, people attend the summit for many reasons. And because climate issue is the biggest global issue of the moment, it is not surprising that over 97,000 people including Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, King Charles of United Kingdom, Prime Minister of Netherlands, Mark Rutte, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, US Special Envoy on Climate Change and former Secretary of State, John Kerry.
“Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, World Bank President, Ajay Banga, International Monetary Fund President, Kristalina Georgieva, World Trade Organisation Director General, Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, Africa Development Bank President, Akinwumi Adesina.
“Former US Vice President and Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Al Gore and almost 100 Heads of States and Governments converged on Dubai for COP28. It is the first of its kind in the history of the summit because of the importance of climate change to global well-being.
“Those with sufficient understanding and knowledge on climate matters know that issues around the subject have layers and multiplicity of factors that require experts from various fields. There are lined-up technical sessions on financing climate actions at sub-national levels, regions and local governments.
“State Governors from Nigeria such as Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, Umo Eno of Akwa-Ibom have been really busy with their officials at COP28, making presentations, speaking at panel sessions and pitching some of their sustainability projects to development partners and investors”, he said.