President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday failed to attend a forum of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) holding in Perth, Australia, where he was scheduled to outline Nigeria's mining potential, a development which was described as “mysterious” by a newspaper, The Australian.

Jonathan was expected to take part in the Presidential Country Roundtables, specifically the Nigeria/Australia Mining Roundtable, but failed to show up.

According to the newspaper, the non-appearance of the President, who is at the head of Nigeria's 120-man delegation, the biggest from any country, was more curious, given that he had “cut an imposing figure at the business forum all week.”
There was no explanation for the President's failure to appear for two scheduled speeches.

However, Jonathan's absence didn't stop Nigeria's delegation from going ahead with efforts to lure investors into the country.
Mines and Steel Minister, Musa Mohammed Sada, spoke in place of the President.

He advertised Nigeria as "the last frontier" for mineral exploration in West Africa.

Sada told investors that with other "big-time mining companies" waking up to the potential in Africa and taking up substantial mining in neighboring countries, Nigeria wanted in on the action.

"There is no scientific reason to say that such resources are not also existing in Nigeria, if not even better," he said. "We have also been endowed with the right quantities of these minerals."

He said Nigeria had identified seven "world-class" commodities, including coal, iron ore and gold, adding that coal reserves were estimated at more than 2.7 billion tonnes, iron ore more than three billion and one gold find with an estimated 600,000 million ounces, according to the report.

Sada assured investors that the government is initiating reforms to break down investment barriers in the country.


Source: http://www.nigeriancompass.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7152:jonathans-absence-at-chogm-forum-causes-stir-in-australia&catid=54:nigeria-today&Itemid=594

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Perhaps our Dear President was busy organising Dame's birthday at the expense of his main agenda in Australia. With a delegation of 120 officials, we need no soothsayer to tell us that they've all gone for jamboree, thereby mixing pleasure with business. I think the country deserves an explanation when the President returns.