The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on Thursday shed more light on why President Muhammadu Buhari sacked Maikanti Baru as its Group Managing Director.
On Thursday, Buhari appointed Mele Kolo Kyari as the new Group Managing Director of NNPC.
The President also appointed seven Chief Operating Officers (COOs) alongside Kyari. The newly appointed officers are to work with current officeholders till July 7, 2019, for a smooth transition to take place, according to a statement signed by the NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs, Ndu Ughamadu.
The NNPC spokesman said Baru is due for retirement on July 7, 2019, hence the appointment of his successor.
“President Buhari has directed that the New GMD and the newly appointed COOs work with the current occupiers of the various offices till 7th July 2019 towards a smooth transition on 8th July 2019 when their appointments would take effect to ensure a smooth transition.
“However, the appointment of Farouk Garba Said (North West), who is replacing a retiring Chief Operating Officer, is effective from 28th June 2019,” the statement read in part.
The newly appointed Chief Operating Officers are Roland Onoriode Ewubare (S/South) – COO Upstream; Mustapha Yinusa Yakubu (N/ Central) – COO Refining & Petrochemicals; Yusuf Usman (N/East) – COO, Gas & Power; Lawrencia Nwadiabuwa Ndupu (S/East), COO Ventures; Umar Isa Ajiya (N/West) – Chief Financial Officer; Adeyemi Adetunji (S/West) – COO, Downstream and Farouk Garba Said (N/West) – COO, Corporate Services.
Until his new appointment, Kyari, a geologist, was Group General Manager, Crude Oil Marketing Division of NNPC and also doubled, since May 13, 2018, as Nigeria’s National Representative to the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
“He is a quintessential crude oil marketer with prerequisite certification and outfield pedigree in Petroleum Economics and crude oil and gas trading.
“In the last 27 years, he had traversed the entire value chain of the Petroleum Industry, with exceptional records of performance.
“Under his watch, the Crude Oil Marketing Division has recorded noticeable transformation in the management and sales of various Nigeria’s crude oil grades via an infusion of transparency and automation of the processes,” Ughamadu said.
In a follow-up statement on Thursday afternoon, Ughamadu said Kyari, will take over from Baru “effectively on 8th July 2019”.