Reactions have continued to trail the huge number of delegates representing Nigeria at the ongoing United Nations Climate Change Summit (COP28) in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.
Although Nigeria has 1,411 delegates at the conference, the Federal Government had put the number of those it sponsored at 422.
A review of Nigeria’s official delegation to COP28 also shows that the number of government-funded delegates increased by over 250 per cent from COP27 in 2022, even if all 120 official delegates at COP27 were government funded.
The 422 persons funded by the Nigerian government also suggests that it sponsored more delegates to COP28 than the United Kingdom and the United States combined (even if both countries used government funds for all their party delegates – 234).
The United States has 159 delegates with ‘party’ badges, and the United Kingdom has 75.
The presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party in this year’s elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Mr. Peter Obi respectively, as well as civil society organisations had flayed the huge delegation of Nigeria at the summit, describing it as a jamboree and a waste of scarce resources.
The PDP had challenged the government to name the delegates, and urged the National Assembly to probe the travelling team, and asked President Bola Tinubu to be ready to refund the amounts spent on delegates who have no important role at the conference.
According to the list of registered Nigerian participants at the COP28 Conference, the delegates include President Tinubu’s son, Seyi; chefs, luggage officers, stewards among other individuals, including over 50 personal assistants.
The delegation also comprises over 30 ministers and heads of government agencies, including the Ministers of Environment; Ministers of State (Environment); Water Resources and Sanitation; Foreign Affairs; Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy; Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation; Aviation and Aerospace Development; Information and National Orientation; Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil); Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice; Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas); and that of Agriculture and Food Security.
Also on the list are an actress and on-air personality, Toke Makinwa, IBD Dende, and two senior special assistants to the Lagos State governor (state lotteries; and corporate finance/investments), a member representing Lagos Island II in the Lagos State House of Assembly and a staff of PZ Cussons.
The UN said that Nigeria has the third-largest delegation to the event, behind China and Brazil.
Also on the list are 138 delegates from the State House including 54 from the National Council on Climate Change, 53 from the Ministry Environment, 36 from the National Assembly and 28 from the NNPC Limited.
Source: Daily Trust
