The Petroleum Minister, Ibe Kachikwu has promised to resign from office if the nation does not stop its importation of petrol by the year 2019.
The petroleum minister made this known while fielding questions from Stephen Sackur on BBC Hardtalk adding that he is a man of his words and has kept all the promises he had made since assuming office.
Ibe Kachikwu during the interview said: “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.”
Ibe Kachikwu who noted that he sets targets and meets them continued: “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.”
While addressing a question on the possibility of Nigeria being a self-sufficient country in crude refining, the petroleum minister said: “Our target is 2019…don’t worry, I put the date, I’ll work it.”
Kachikwu was however interrupted by Stephen Sackur who said: “And if you don’t achieve it, you’ll walk?”
Kachikwu in reply said: “Yes, of course, that is the reason why you are in government.”