VANGUARD

THERE are indications that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and its subsidiaries will witness a major and massive reorganisation in the coming months, following yesterday’s appointment of Mr. Mele Kolo Kyari as the new Group Managing Director of the corporation by President Mohammadu Buhari.

Investigation by Vanguard yesterday showed that the re-organisation is meant to assemble a new team to drive the group’s vision, with the announcement expected to be made public in due course. In a statement sent to Vanguard yesterday, NNPC’s Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, said that Buhari also appointed alongside Kyari, seven new Chief Operating Officers.

In another follow-up statement, Ughamadu, noted that the new GMD will take over from the current occupier of the office, Dr. Maikanti Baru, with effect from 8th July 2019, while Baru would retire statutorily on July 7, 2019.

Until his new appointment, Kyari was the Group General Manager, Crude Oil Marketing Division of NNPC, and also doubled, since 13th May, 2018, as Nigeria’s National Representative to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

Though the imminent re-organisation was not included in the NNPC statement yesterday, a reliable source in the organisation said: “I know that the new GMD has a well-articulated vision for NNPC, and by extension the nation’s oil and gas industry. He will like to put the right people in the right place in order to enhance the realisation of his vision. Consequently, more changes will be witnessed in not only NNPC, but also the subsidiaries, including the National Petroleum Investment Management Services, Nigerian Gas Marketing Company Limited, Nigerian Petroleum Development Company Limited, National Engineering and Technical Company Limited, Integrated Data Services Limited and Petroleum Products Marketing Company.”

The seven new chief operating officers are Mr. Roland Onoriode Ewubare (South-South) – Chief Operating Officer, Upstream; Engr. Mustapha Yinusa Yakubu (North Central) – Chief Operating Officer Refining and Petrochemicals; Engr. Yusuf Usman (North East) – Chief Operating Officer, Gas and Power; Ms. Lawrencia Nwadiabuwa Ndupu (South East), Chief Operating Officer Ventures; Mr. Umar Isa Ajiya (North West) – Chief Financial Officer; Engr. Adeyemi Adetunji (South West) – Chief Operating Officer, Downstream and Mr. Farouk Garba Said (North West) – Chief Operating Officer, Corporate Services.