COP28: We must stop culture of waste, Obi berates FG

Former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, has criticized Nigeria’s 1411-member delegation at the UN climate summit in Dubai.

He highlighted the irony of Nigeria matching China’s delegation size despite vast budget disparities.

Obi pointed out China’s higher Human Development Index (HDI) and expressed concern over Nigeria’s delegation composition, consisting mostly of non-relevant officials and associates of high-ranking individuals.

He emphasized the delegation’s cost amid economic challenges, urging a shift towards productivity, poverty reduction, and prudent governance.

“Nigeria has more people living in ‘Multi-Dimensional’ poverty than China, despite China having seven times our population

“Most importantly, the vast majority of those in the Nigerian delegation to COP28 are either non-relevant civil servants or relations, friends and hangers-on of high government officials. Most of them hardly understand or have anything to do with Climate Change.

• ECOWAS Delegation Departs Niger Without Meeting Junta Leader Amidst Political Tensions
• Jonathan Leads AU, COMESA Delegation to Observe Zimbabwe’s General Elections
• US Raises Concerns Over China’s Potential Influence on Nigeria through Loans: Integrated Country Strategies Document Reveals Worries
• Philippines Removes Chinese Barrier in Contested South China Sea Area
• WWC: England wallop China 6-1, Storm into Last 16

“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.

“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 have 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.