For all government employees wishing to travel to New York for the UN General Assembly, President Bola Tinubu has ordered the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs to stop issuing visas.
According to a statement from his media assistant, Ajuri Ngelale, the decision that came from the President this afternoon is thought to be a part of a larger effort to lower the cost of governance in Nigeria.
It was further stated that the instruction was intended in particular for individuals who lacked documentation attesting to their direct participation in the UNGA’s scheduled events.
The Nigerian Permanent Mission in New York has also been instructed to prevent and stop the accreditation of any government official who is not listed on the protocol lists provided by the approving authority, the presidency added, in order to prevent any shady practises in this area.
All Federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies are required to make sure that all officials who have been given permission to join the UNGA delegation tightly restrict the number of aides and other personnel who attend the event. This is in accordance with the President’s directive. During the final verification procedure, excesses or irregularities in this regard shall be eliminated whenever they are found.
The statement continued, “The President desires to underline that, henceforth, government personnel and government expenditure must reflect the wisdom and sacrifice being made by well-meaning Nigerians across the nation.