The Emir of Kano, Mohammadu Sanusi 11, has expressed dissatisfaction at alleged conduct of Nigerian ministers and governors at the US- Nigeria Investment Summit 2018 held at the Nigerian House in Washington.
Themed: “Nigeria is open for Business”, the event was put together by the Nigerian embassy in conjunction with a private firm.
However, its aim of bringing under one roof, decision makers from Nigeria, United States officials, entrepreneurs, investors, chief executive officers of renowned corporation and their representatives, the academia and other interested individuals and groups suffered significantly after some ministers and governors from Nigeria who were billed to speak at a special function to attract investors to the country shunned the event, Daily Trust reported.
The paper said the programme of event indicated that the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, Petroleum: Ibe Kwachukwu , Agriculture; Audu Ogbeh, Science and Technology; Ogbonnaya Onu, Information; Lai Mohammed, Solid Minerals Development; Kayode Fayemi and Industry, Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah, were all billed to address the gathering.
However, none of the ministers had showed up as at lunch time when over 50 per cent of them should have spoken.
According to the report, the ministers’ nonappearance drew criticism from the emir, who spoke with reporters after the session on Private Equity and Financing, chaired by Nigerian business man, Mohammed Indimi, Chairman/CEO Oriental Energy Resource.
Quoting Sanusi, the paper wrote: “We had a meeting today with investors, we were supposed to start by 9am and we started at 10. When I came in they took me to the ambassadors office to sit down, when investors were waiting down there. We had a list of people who were to be there, vice president, minsters, some of them are in town, but they didn’t come. You invite top investors, your ministers are in Washington and they do not come to talk to the investors about Nigeria. That is not how you attract investors.”
