As a result of the significant criticism directed against the several Nigerian delegates attending the ongoing Climate Summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), the presidency formally clarified yesterday that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was in Dubai for legitimate business purposes and was not on a convoy.
In addition to providing the clarification, Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, revealed in a statement titled “Re: Nigeria at COP-28” that only 422 representatives from ministries, agencies, and the National Assembly received funding from the federal government.
According to Idris, the delegates were divided into the following groups: 32 from the National Council on Climate Change; 34 from the Federal Ministry of Environment; 167 from all other ministries; 67 from the Presidency; 9 from the Office of the Vice President; 40 from the National Assembly; and 73 from Federal Parastatals/Agencies.
The minister made note of the fact that both government-sponsored (federal and state governments) and non-government-sponsored (private firms, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), civil society organizations (CSOs), media, academia, etc.) participants made up the entire Nigerian delegation to COP28.
According to him, Nigerian government officials, representatives of the corporate sector, civil society, the volunteer sector, state governments, the media, international organizations, members of marginalized communities, and many more were parties to the COP28 treaty.
The minister went on to defend the sizeable federal government delegation, emphasizing that Nigeria “has a significant stake in climate action, and our active and robust participation at COP is, therefore, not unwarranted” because it is the largest and most populous nation in Africa, has a significant extractive economy, and is highly vulnerable to climate change.
The signing of an accelerated energy performance agreement between Nigeria and Germany, the introduction of President Bola Tinubu’s Nigeria Carbon Market Activation Plan, and the president’s hosting of stakeholders and investors on the Nigeria Carbon Market and Electric Buses Rollout Programme were among the other accomplishments of the COP28 summit, according to Idris.
The minister went on to say, “The federal government has taken note of the public discourse regarding the number of Nigerian delegates attending the current Climate Summit in Dubai, also known as COP28, and the necessity of providing clarification in accordance with a standing pledge to conduct itself with transparency and accessibility regarding public information.”The world’s premier climate change conference, the Convention of Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), is being attended this year (COP28) by over 70,000 participants and delegates from over 100 countries.
“Nigeria’s representation is very much in keeping with our position as the dominant independent voice and participant in climate action in Africa.”Nigerian government officials, representatives of the corporate sector, civil society, the volunteer sector, state governments, the media, international institutions, members of marginalized communities, and many more are parties to this convention.It is crucial to note that the Nigerian delegation at COP28 is made up of members who are sponsored by the federal and state governments as well as by non-governmental organizations (from the commercial sector, NGOs, CSOs, media, academia, etc.).There are 422 individuals in the federal government-funded delegation in total, as follows: The following are listed in order of importance: the Presidency (67), the Office of the Vice President (9), the National Assembly (40), the Federal Ministry of Environment (34), the National Council on Climate Change (32) and federal parastatals/agencies (73).
The minister claims that COP28 offers a variety of cooperation and investment options for the different industries impacted by climate change.
He emphasized that the fact that “Nigeria and Germany signed an accelerated performance agreement to expedite the implementation of the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) to improve Nigeria’s electricity supply” showed that the country was already reaping the benefits of its participation.In front of President Tinubu and Chancellor Scholz, the deal was signed by Ms. Nadja Haakansson, the managing director and senior vice president of Siemens Energy for Africa, and Mr. Kenny Anuwe, the managing director and CEO of FGN Power Company.
“On the fringes of the COP28 climate summit, President Tinubu hosted a high-level meeting with stakeholders and investors on the Nigeria Carbon Market and the Electric Buses Rollout Programme.”The National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) Director-General, Dr. Dahiru Salisu, and Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mr. Zacch Adedeji, co-chaired the unveiling of the Nigeria Carbon Market Activation Plan by the president.
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“The electric bus program is just the beginning of a series of creative, eco-friendly, cutting-edge, and sustainable initiatives across a range of industries. These initiatives are all meant to concurrently address challenges associated with climate change, lower carbon emissions, update infrastructure, and establish Nigeria as a desirable location for foreign investment.”The Loss and Damage Fund, which was created during COP27 in Egypt and was operationalized during the opening plenary of COP28 in Dubai, is expected to be beneficial to Nigeria.
“The fund will offer significant non-debt funding to assist nations most impacted by climate change. Already, contributions of hundreds of millions of dollars have been promised to the Fund.In order to formalize the bilateral ties, the president also met with the president of the United Arab Emirates. Apart from the bilateral discussions with various nations and international partners, this is what’s going on.
“Over the years, Nigeria has exhibited its commitment to climate action by being the first African nation to introduce its Energy Transition Plan, the first to issue a Sovereign Green Bond, and among the first to enact national climate change laws,” it should be emphasized.
In the statement, Idris went on to say, “President Tinubu has been unequivocal in his position that Africa cannot be told to abandon its primary source of income, which is mostly from extractive industries, without the West providing the funding and investment in alternative and clean energy sources.” Africa is fighting issues of poverty and security, as well as trying to provide healthcare and education to her people.President Tinubu has been an outspoken advocate for Africa on the international front ever since taking office, whether it be at the UNGA, the G20, or the current COP28. At these different fora, the president has had the backing of an equally engaged and active Nigerian delegation.
Thus, it is crucial to maintain the truth while reassuring Nigerians that President Tinubu and other members of the federal government delegation are in Dubai for important business and are not there for a party.
Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, announced yesterday that although he received an invitation to attend COP28, he chose to participate electronically because of the changes made to advance the state’s digital economy.
According to a statement, Obaseki said these things during a conversation with BBC Pidgin.
The governor said that the state has since switched to a paperless work mode, which had made working in Edo civil and public service more flexible, better, and productive. He then went on to enumerate the accomplishments documented in the last seven years of his administration.
“I was invited to the COP28 in Dubai, but I told them I am going to join them virtually,” Obaseki said.In terms of climate change, the state has a lot to offer. We are reforesting, combating deforestation, and protecting our territory. We are committed to reversing the trend of illegal tree logging, which is creating erosion in the state. December is still rainy; we are trying to safeguard our people from the effects of climate change.
According to Obaseki, the state is making significant investments in the digital economy, particularly in the areas of digital infrastructure and workforce development.
“In terms of technology, we have taught software engineering to six cohorts of 100 students each,” he stated. Some of them are employed by prestigious Edo enterprises.2,000 kilometers of fiber optic cable infrastructure have been installed throughout the 18 local government districts of the state. This explains why the state’s civil and public service departments are able to operate entirely paperless.
