by Linda Straker
- PM cancelled trip to Rwanda because of Marburg Virus Disease outbreak
- Nigerian news shows Prime Minister Mitchell touring Dangote Fertiliser Plant
- IMA’s “Nigeria Marketing Week” scheduled from 14–18 October
Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell has not immediately returned to Grenada after cancelling his trip to Rwanda because of the Marburg Virus Disease outbreak. He instead diverted to Nigeria according to an online news channel based in Nigeria.
Rwanda is on the East coast of Africa while Nigeria is on the West coast.
A news item published on 10 October 2024 by Channels Television, which is the market leader in independent news in Nigeria, shows video footage and photographs of Prime Minister Mitchell touring Dangote Fertiliser Plant, with plans for him to tour Dangote Refinery.
Dangote Fertiliser Limited (DFL) is the largest granulated urea fertiliser complex in Africa, with an investment of $2.5 billion, the plant has a capacity of 3 MMTPA. The DFL Complex is at Lekki Free Trade Zone in Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area of Lagos, Nigeria while the Dangote Refinery, an oil refinery owned by Dangote Group inaugurated on 22 May 2023, in Lekki, Nigeria.
The Dangote Group is a Nigerian multinational industrial conglomerate founded by Aliko Dangote. He, according to internet searches, had a prominent role in the financing of President Olusegun Obsanjo’s re-election in 2003 by donating US$2 million.
According to video footage and photographs published by Channels Television, among the Prime Minister’s entourage are Executive Assistant Akiera Lessey and Teddy St Louis, former Chief Magistrate; it is not known what St Louis’ role is with Government. Also with the Prime Minister are his 2 children.
The Prime Minister’s trip to Nigeria comes days before the Investment Migration Agency (IMA) which administers the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programme holds “Nigeria Marketing Week” from 14–18 October. Hundreds of the CBI citizens are Nigerians. Nigeria, according to data from the IMA office provided 21% of the number of people approved as citizens through the CBI programme during the second quarter of 2024.
In a press release which has since been removed from the Office of the Prime Minister Facebook page, the Prime Minister was only scheduled to travel to Rwanda; no mention was made of the Nigeria trip. It is therefore not clear if the trip to Nigeria is a sudden decision or pre-arranged to follow the Rwanda event.
Press Secretary Neila Ettienne said the Prime Minister was never in Rwanda because of the Marburg virus disease outbreak which, first confirmed on 27 September, had killed 12 people by 6 October, with dozens infected. Marburg virus disease is a deadly illness related to Ebola, and does not have any approved vaccines or treatments.
Dennis Cornwall is the acting Prime Minister in the absence of Dickon Mitchell.
