COP 29: FG takes measures to save over N10bn in expenditures – Presidency

By Egena Sunday Ode

The Federal Government is taking some strigent measures that will save the country a whopping over N10 billion in expenditures at the November COP 29 climate conference in Azerbaijan.
These cost-cutting measures for COP29 include the introduction of a Climate Accountability and Transparency Portal; a system will provide real-time, public access to information about delegation members and their roles, ensuring only those with “economic imperatives” attend.
“Elimination of Showcase Pavilion: The government will not purchase a showcase pavilion, which cost nearly $500,000 at COP28. Instead, they will utilize a delegate office within the conference complex, expected to cost less than 10% of the pavilion price.
“Reduction in consultancy and subcontracting fees: Services such as lighting and technology provision will be handled directly by the Secretariat of the National Council on Climate Change, eliminating costly third-party contracts.”
Presidency spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, disclosed this to newsmen on Tuesday at a press conference in the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja.
According to him, in response to public outcry over the size and cost of Nigeria’s delegation to COP28 in Dubai last year, President Bola Tinubu had ordered a comprehensive audit of the country’s participation.
According to him, the audit revealed unnecessary spending and attendees who “had no business” at the conference.
He said: “many Nigerians would recall that as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Federal Government of Nigeria’s delegation to COP 28 in Dubai, UAE, last year, there were some elements of outcry concerning the size of the delegation.
“There was some deliberate misinformation. But the truth of the matter is, we also found that there were government officials who had no business at that meeting, and some with significant delegations.
“And in view of this, His Excellency, President bola Tinubu had approved in order to be undertaken of that exercise to fully understand and ascertain what happened and what must be done to ensure that what happened never repeats itself in this country.
“And as a result of that, within the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action, which I lead, and in the Office of the Director General, CEO of the National Council on Climate Change, an exercise has been concluded detailing exactly what the expenditure profile was as of COP 28 with a view to ensuring that we implement measures that would ensure that whatever is spent ahead of COP 29 has a function that will lead To the economic empowerment of our people and the economic development of our nation.”
Ngelale emphasized that these changes align with President Tinubu’s commitment to fiscal responsibility and transparency.
He stated: “This is the change that Nigerians have asked for. This is the change that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is giving to them.”
The presidency spokesman also noted that these measures are just the beginning, suggesting that similar audits and cost-saving initiatives may be implemented for other government activities in the future.
According to him” we are also ensuring that some of these wasteful platforms that give rise to consultancies and subcontracts for lighting, for technological provision that these are elements that can be provided directly from the Secretariat of the National Council on climate change, with all of the savings through the provision and implementation of the climate accountability and transparency portal.
“As well as our active cut down of expenditure items that were found in the cop 28 expenditure profile, we have put ourselves in a position to save this country over 10 billion naira on this 11-Day event In November, Cop 29. So the President will continue to ensure that Nigerians have confidence in all of our activities moving forward.”