President Bola Tinubu have ordered the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs to immediately freeze the processing of visas for all government officials seeking to travel to New York for the 787 United Nations General Assembly without proof of direct participation in UNGA’s official schedule of activities.
A statement by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, said the directive is part of a broader effort to reduce the cost of governance.
The statement read: ‘To prevent any sharp practice in this regard, the U.S. Mission in Nigeria is accordingly guided on official visa processing while Nigeria’s Permanent Mission in New York is further directed to prevent and stop the accreditation of any government official who is not placed on the protocol lists forwarded by the approving authority.
‘By this directive of the president, all Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies are mandated to ensure that all officials, who are approved for inclusion in the UNGA delegation, strictly limit the number of aides and associated staff partaking in the event. Where excesses or anomalies in this regard are identified, they will be removed during the final verification process.’
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‘The president wishes to affirm that, henceforth, government officials and government expenditure must reflect the prudence and sacrifice being made by well-meaning Nigerians across the nation.’
Africa Today News, New York reports that the President on Monday reminded the new ministers that the hopes and aspirations of 200 million fellow Nigerians is currently resting on their daily actions while firmly warning that he would not condone poor performance from any of them.
At the maiden federal executive council meeting he presided over at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the president called on the ministers to look beyond their titles and offices and stay focused on the day-to-day task of their individual and collective contributions to the transformation of the economy for the betterment of Nigerians.