The Minister of state for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu has said he will resign from his current position if Nigeria continues with the importation of petroleum products by 2019.
Kachikwu made the comments in an interview with BBC’s Stephen Sackur when he appeared on his programme Hard Talk.
The minister who described himself as a man of his own words said during the interview that he has kept every promise he made since he was appointed into government by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“I have delivered on all that I have promised when I came into office. First, I took Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and made it a profit-making organisation. This is the first time in history, I reshaped the organisation.
“I removed cash call deficits of over $6bn and renegotiated it. Everything that I have promised since coming into office, I have delivered. I will deliver on the refineries and I’m committed to it.
“I will also deliver a future for oil that makes sense for Nigeria. Bear in mind one has been there for one and a half years, the president has been there for two years; I can’t pretend that we’re going to solve in one day all the problems that happened in Nigeria in the past.”
Asked again when Nigeria will be self-sufficient in crude refining, he said, “our target is 2019…don’t worry, I put the date, I’ll work it.”
Sackur interrupted, saying, “And if you don’t achieve it, you’ll walk?” and Kachikwu replied saying, “Yes, of course, that is the reason why you are in government.”
