Minister of state for Petroleum Resources Dr. Ibe Kachikwu said he will quit from the government if he fails to deliver on the promise to end fuel importation in Nigeria by 2019.
Speaking in an interview on BBC World Service programme, HardTalk, on Monday, Kachikwu vowed he would deliver on the refineries and that he was committed to also deliver a future for oil that makes sense for Nigeria.
Asked by the programme anchor when Nigeria was going to be self-sufficient in terms of refining petroleum, the following conversation ensued:
Kachikwu: I have stated it, 2019 is the target.
BBC: You are running out of time because you know that we are near now.
Kachikwu: Don’t worry; I put the date, I will work it.
BBC: And if you don’t achieve it, you will walk (away)?
Kachikwu: Yes! Of course that is the reason why you are in government.
The minister said since he took office one-and-half year ago, he has been able to get the refineries back to begin to produce 7 million litres of petroleum product compared to zero previously.
“I have delivered on everything since I came to office. First, I took NNPC and moved them into a profit making organization first time in history and reshaped the organization. I removed cash call deficit of over $6bn, negotiated it. Everything that I have promised since coming into office, I have delivered. I will deliver on the refineries and I am committed to that and I will also deliver a future for oil that makes sense for Nigeria,” he said.
