The Federal Government has put in expenditure cutting efforts to save Nigerians over N10 billion for the forthcoming 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 29) scheduled to be held in Baku, Azerbaijan.
This was stated on Tuesday by the Special Presidential Envoy on climate Action, Ajuri Ngelale at the state house Abuja.
He said the government had plans to ensure prudent spending during the conference.
According to Ngelale, the Federal Government had audited the COP 28 trip to Dubai and discovered the expenditures made for the provision of platforms for exhibition as wasteful, as such there would be no showcase pavilion for COP 29. The delegation would utilize a more economically efficient mode which will save nearly $500,000 for the country.
All delegation meetings which would have been held in the showcase pavilion would now be conducted in the delegates’ office. The cost of the office is less than 10% of the cost of the showcase pavilion.
Also, wasteful platforms that give rise to consultancies and subcontracts for lighting and technological provision would be sourced directly from the secretariat of the National Council on Climate Change.
They shall also implement a climate accountability and transparency portal to cut down costs.
Ngelale stated that over N10 billion would be saved on this 11 day event in November 2024 with the implementation of this plan. As it is unethical to spend so much money at a time when the country grapples with economic downturn, he said: “this is the change that Nigerians have asked for. This is the change that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is giving to them.”
It would be aggregable if the attendance list is also audited for COP29 to also reduce the cost of transporting too many attendees to the climate event this year.
