The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the February 25, 2023 election in Nigeria, Peter Obi, has “congratulated” Nigeria for having the same number of delegates to the ongoing COP28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, with China.
The Eagle Online had reported that Nigeria had a delegation of 1,411 at the summit, the same with China.
There were 318 from the State House and four from the Presidency.
The delegation also included members of the Defence and Police Officers Wives Association, National Population Commission, Federal Ministry of Power and four with the sub-title: SSG.
Reacting to this development, Obi, a former two-term Governor of Anambra State humoured the government: “Let me congratulate the giant of Africa, Nigeria, for matching the great China, with the same number of contingents at the ongoing COP28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Nigeria’s contingent to COP28 totaled 1411, the same number as the Chinese contingents.”
He said that while China’s budget for 2024 is about $4 trillion, about $2,860 per head, Nigeria’s budget is about $33 billion, translating to about $165 per head.
He stated that China has a high Human Development Index, with a ranking of 79 out of 191 countries measured, Nigeria has a low HDI, ranking of 163 out of 191 countries measured.
He added: “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.
“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.”
Obi, on his X handle on Sunday, tweeted: “In a twist of sad irony, let me congratulate the giant of Africa, Nigeria, for matching the great China, with the same number of contingents at the ongoing COP28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
“Nigeria’s contingent to COP28 totaled 1411, the same number as the Chinese migrating the highest number of its citizens out of poverty over a relatively short time.
Also Read:
- Zeb Ejiro to receive lifetime achievement award in UK
- Lagos Assembly to pass law regulating alms begging – Speaker
- SEC approves commencement of Access Holdings N351b rights issue
- NiMet predicts three-day thunderstorms, rains from Monday
- Female university student found dead in campus drainage
“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.
“We need to de-emphasize unnecessary ceremony and showmanship as a mode of government behaviour.
“We need to tie spending to necessity and national Priority.
“A New Nigeria is possible.
“We only need to do the reasonable and the necessary.”