Former Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has frowned at the large number of delegates Nigerian government sends to international functions.
In a post on his verified X handle on Saturday, Obi argued
that such is a misplaced priority, given that about 150 million Nigerians live
in multidimensional poverty, struggling daily with food insecurity, inadequate
healthcare, and limited access to basic services.
The former Anambra State governor said Nigeria cannot
compare herself with China which has larger population and larger GDP than her.
He added that the nation’s participation on the
international stage must reflect responsible leadership, one that truly
prioritises the needs of its people and demonstrates the country’s genuine
capacity to engage meaningfully in global climate action.
“Again, in a bitter twist of irony, we thank Nigeria for
having the third-largest delegation at COP30, with 749 delegates, similar to
China with 789 delegates.
While Nigeria needs to have a strong voice in global climate
discussions, this spectacle comes at a heavy cost to our people, with about 150
million living in multidimensional poverty, struggling daily with food
insecurity, inadequate healthcare, and limited access to basic services.
“Yet, our leaders travel in large numbers, funded by
taxpayers, attending climate talks abroad while the citizens they are meant to
serve continue to suffer.
“Compared to China, which had about the same contingency,
China has a high HDI, while Nigeria has a low one, with a key measure of life
expectancy at the lowest 54 years, against China’s 79 years. China’s GDP stands
at $18.74 trillion, while Nigeria’s GDP is barely 1% of that size, a little
over 200 billion dollars. China’s GDP per capita is about $13,300, whereas that
of Nigeria is below 10% of that, reflecting the deep economic disparity between
the two nations.
“Moreover, 63% of Nigerians live in multidimensional
poverty, which is about 150 million people, the highest number in the world,
facing deprivations in health, education, and living standards, while it is
only 3.9% in China; meanwhile, China’s population is about seven times larger
than ours.
“This stark contrast illustrates why Nigeria should not be
sending a delegation of this size. The human and financial resources expended
on hundreds of officials travelling abroad could instead be directed toward
urgent social investments at home, improving healthcare, education, and living
conditions to lift our people out of poverty,” he wrote.
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