President Bola Tinubu has directed his Chief of Staff, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, to cut the cost of governance and reduce the size of Nigeria’s official delegation to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meetings in New York, United States.
This directive was disclosed on Saturday by Gbajabiamila during a one-day retreat with the theme ‘Strengthening Institutional Mechanism for Effective Delivery’, organised by the State House management for heads of government agencies under its supervision in Abuja.
Addressing participants at the retreat, the Chief of Staff, according to a statement issued by presidential spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, said the decision to streamline Nigeria’s delegation to the 79th session of UNGA in September was part of the administration’s commitment to ensure prudent management of resources and reduce the cost of governance.
Highlighting the need for the State House and agencies under its supervision to ensure that its functions are guided by statutes, regulations, policy decisions, and presidential directives, Gbajabiamila hinted at upcoming policy announcements aimed at ensuring efficient service delivery in government operations.
According to him: ”I just discussed this 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 the cost of governance. Everyone is waiting to see if Nigeria, as in the past, will send the ‘largest delegation’ to UNGA.
”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 added.
The Chief of Staff urged heads of agencies at the retreat to comply strictly, adding that the President was listening to the concerns of Nigerians and was committed to addressing them diligently.
On the retreat, Gbajabiamila noted that it 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.
According to him, the retreat would be a continuous exercise, as governance is an evolving process that requires regular adjustments.
He also urged the State House management and chief executives of agencies under its supervision to lead by example by ensuring compliance 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 added.
Deji Elumoye
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