The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has decried attempts by a section of the media to politicise the recent appointments and retirements in the corporation by imputing ethnic coloration to it.
This was contained in a statement issued by NNPC’s Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Ohi Alegbe in Abuja on Friday.
According to the statement, the new appointments were done in line with international best practices devoid of primordial sentiments.
It added that all the actions so far taken by the corporation were in line with extant rules on federal character and done with the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The statement further said that all retirements between now and 2016 would be carried out with no regard to ethnicity or state of origin.
“The recent appointments, promotions, and retirements are all part of the ongoing restructuring aimed at repositioning the corporation into a lean, efficient, profit-driven organization,” it said.
The statement therefore called on Nigerians to discountenance any report aimed at denigrating the ongoing re-organisation in the corporation.
Alegbe also said that the new administration would ensure the efficient and profitable running of the corporation’s refineries to meet the energy needs of the country.
He quoted the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, as saying that the corporate service unit and all the strategic business units of the corporation would henceforth be run as profit centres.
He said that the days of perceiving the corporation as a civil service were over.
The oil corporation boss implored the management to team up with him to close the skills gap and turn the fortunes of the corporation around.
He said efforts were on top gear to create a conducive working environment for members of staff.
According to him, for NNPC to transform into a profit establishment, the morale of the work force must be high.
He urged the management to provide leadership by example to the workforce while adding that sectionalism, tribalism and any form of non-transparent transactions must be completely stamped out.
Kachikwu also admonished the members of staff to act as change agents.
He assured that in the next 60 days, some of the strategic targets would be translated into concrete milestones to the appreciation of Nigerians.
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