By Our Correspondents
Minister of Petroleum, President Muhammadu Buhari is in Belgium to attend the 6th European Union-African Union Summit.
The President who doubles as the Minister of Petroleum is leaving the country at a time when a persistent fuel crisis has crippled economic and social activities in the nation’s major cities.
Buhari’s trip has also affected the scheduled National Convention of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), where the substantive chairman of the party and other national officers would be elected.
Read More: Fuel Scarcity: Black market hits 400 per litre, as scarcity bites in FCT
The National Convention would pave way for declarations and election of the party’s presidential candidate for the 2023 general election.
The EU-AU summit will hold from February 17-18 and African and European leaders would deliberate on the various themes affecting the world.
Such areas of discussion include Financing for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth; Climate Change and Energy Transition, Digital and Transport (Connectivity and Infrastructure); Peace, Security and Governance; and Private Sector Support and Economic Integration.
Others are: Education, Culture and Vocational Training, Migration and Mobility; Agriculture and Sustainable Development and Health Systems and Vaccine Production.
Accompanying the President are: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, and Minister of State for the Environment, Sharon Ikeazor.
The National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ahmed Abubakar and the Chief Executive Officer of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, will also be part of the entourage.
However, in the Federal Capital Territory, acute fuel shortage is entering the second week with fuel going for at least N700 per litre in the black market, as stations remain shut.
Buhari in his capacity as the Minister of Petroleum has maintained a stoic silence as prices of food and transportation jacks up at least 200 percent.
