JONATHAN DEPARTS FOR HIIC IN LONDON

President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday left Abuja for a three day meeting of the Honourary International Investors’ Council in London.

In the President’s entourage are Governors Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, Kashim Shettima of Borno State, Senator Emmanuel Paulker, Senator Nenadi Usman, Sylvester Ogbaga, Isiaka Bawa, the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investments, Dr. Olusegun Aganga and the Governor of the Central Bank, Lamido Sanusi.

Others are; the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, the Minister of Communications Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, the Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo, the Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Turaki, the Minister of State (Foreign Affairs), Professor Viola Onwuliri and heads of relevant government agencies.

Issues on the agenda of the meeting are; generating long-term affordable finance for Nigeria’s real sector, developing Nigeria’s private equity and venture capital sectors to attract more foreign investments as well as Nigeria’s information and communications technology master-plan.

“The council’s meeting is coordinated by Baroness Lynda Chalker and will also feature a review of Nigeria’s existing investment policies by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development(OECD),’’ a statement from the presidency reads.

Members of the council are the Chief Executive Officer of the Investment Corporation of Dubai, a former South African Minister of Public Enterprises, Mr. Mohammed al Shaibani, the Vice-President of Hewlett-Packard’s Enterprise Group in Europe, Mr. Alec Erwin, Middle-East and Africa, Mr. Olivier Suinat, a former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr. Shaukat Aziz and the Director of Shell’s International Upstream Business, Mr. Andrew Brown.