President Bola Tinubu has taken a significant step towards enhancing transparency and efficiency in Nigeria’s climate initiatives by approving the establishment of the Climate Accountability and Transparency Portal (CAT-P). This move is part of a broader strategy aimed at ensuring responsible participation in the upcoming 29th UN Climate Change Conference (COP 29), scheduled to be held in Baku, Azerbaijan, from November 11-22, 2024.
Chief Ajuri Ngelale, the Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action, made this announcement on Tuesday during a press briefing at the State House. He emphasized that the new portal will provide Nigerians with real-time access to data on the country’s COP 29 delegation, including detailed information on those attending and the government-sponsored participants.
“The President is acutely aware of the economic challenges facing Nigerians and has, therefore, ordered an audit of the expenditures from COP 28 in Dubai,” said Chief Ngelale. “This audit revealed inefficiencies and wasteful spending, prompting the need for immediate corrective measures.”
The audit, which scrutinized the previous year’s climate conference, uncovered nearly $500,000 spent on a showcase pavilion and other unnecessary sub-contracts and consultancies. In response, President Tinubu has authorized cost-saving measures designed to trim nearly ₦10 billion from the budget for COP 29, a significant reduction compared to the expenditures at COP 28.
The newly established CAT-P is expected to play a crucial role in this initiative. It will ensure that all members of the Nigerian delegation, including representatives from various ministries, departments, agencies, and the legislative branch, are accounted for on a transparent platform. This effort aims to prevent wasteful spending and ensure that every delegate’s participation is justified by a clear economic benefit to the nation.
Chief Ngelale stressed that only those actively engaged in activities directly linked to attracting climate-related investments and opportunities will be part of the federal government’s delegation to COP 29. “This is the change that Nigerians have asked for, and this is the change that President Tinubu is delivering,” he stated.
Additionally, the Nigerian delegation will utilize an on-site office with a time-slotting system at the conference, which will cost less than 10 percent of the amount spent on the pavilion at COP 28.
The move underscores the Tinubu administration’s commitment to transparency and economic prudence in global climate engagements, aligning with the broader goal of driving sustainable development and economic empowerment for Nigerians.
