The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, has refuted reports credited to the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi, that he was in the US and refused to attend an investors’ summit.
Sanusi was quoted to have accused the minister and some others for being absent at US-Nigeria Investors’ Forum even when they were in the US.
The spokesman to the petroleum minister, Mr Idang Alibi, said Kachikwu was at another investors meeting in the UK.
“The office of the Minister has recently been beleaguered with various media reports concerning the absence of the Minister of State at the recent US-Nigeria Investment Summit held in Washington DC.
“It is important to note that Kachikwu was not in the United States of America as reported and was not billed to attend the summit.
#TorontoStrong: Suspect questioned after 10 killed in Toronto van attack
“He was in the United Kingdom where he had just concluded the facilitation of a key investment meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari and the Royal Dutch Shell Plc led by the CEO, Bernardus Van Beurden, in London.
“He is committed to delivering the major aspirations of the #7BigWins of which Business and Investment Drive is a key theme”.
Finance minister Kemi Adeosun and CBN governor Godwin Emefiele, had similarly disowned the report with the explanation that they never confirmed they would attend the Summit in Washington.
They were not scheduled to attend the Nigeria-US Investment Summit because they had other engagement at the IMF which coincided with their official engagement.
The summit was organised by the Embassy of Nigeria in the United State and the absence of Adeosun and Emefiele sparked criticism from the Emir, who described the absence of government officials as carefree attitude to investment opportunities.
