The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, has said that he was doing better as Vice President of Exxon Mobil West Africa than his current position as minister, but that God directed him to accept the position for the sake of the nation’s advancement.
Kachikwu said in Abuja today that Nigeria needed help to be able to secure its future and improve on the standard of living of Nigerians.
“I believe that this country needs help. I believe that it is about time we began to perform for the young and upcoming. I believe that the sheer capacity of this country is unimaginable.
“I do not know of any country in the world with our population, our resources, our intellect, our flamboyance, our family nexus, everything is together. The call to public service for me was unique.
“I was Vice President of Exxon Mobil West Africa and I was suddenly called to serve.
“In serving, I lose a lot of money, if not at least $1 million every year by virtue of being a minister. But the thing is: I am directed by the voice of God.”
According to Kachikwu, the current economic crunch in Nigeria can be surmounted with the right leadership, adding that Nigerians would not feel the impact of the challenges posed by the drop in the price of oil if government properly harnessed other natural resources.
“Everything in this country is together. The only thing that is not together is leadership and in God’s name, we are bound to change that.
“In every little space that you have, and in my own case petroleum, you have to make an absolute change and so I am not worried about price of oil. It can be $5 for all I care. I am worried about the direction of the industry. I am worried about changing things the way they have never done before. I am worried about creating opportunities that exist. I am worried about improving the standards of living. I am worried about encouraging opportunities in the sector.
“I am worried about opening up those opportunities that have existed for years.”
Kachikwu, who is also the Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), called on Nigerians to embrace the new philosophy of the present administration geared towards charting a new course for the country. [myad]
