Massive Shake Up Hits NNPC, Moves For Greater Transparency

BY EDMOND ODOK, ABUJA – Amid speculations of a disturbing audit reports that allegedly uncovered huge waste of resources and unproductivity in its operations, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has undertaken a massive shake-up in its administrative and operational structures.

According to the nation’s Oil giants, the current development is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen and reposition it for greater efficiency, transparency; profitability; and effective service delivery in line with President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration’s Next Level Agenda.

In announcing key new appointments and redeployments within the system, the Corporation said the Group General Manager, Crude Oil Marketing Division (COMD), Mr Adokiye Tombomieye, is now the new Chief Operating Officer (COO), Upstream while the Managing Director of Nigerian Gas Marketing Company (NGMC), Mr. Mohammed Abdulkabir Ahmed, has been moved to take over as the new Chief Operating Officer, Corporate Services.

Ahmed’s appointment is coming on the heels of recent retirement by Engineer Farouk Garba Sa’id, from the services of NNPC.

The Corporation’s Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Dr. Kennie Obateru, said in a statement issued in Abuja that the changes also saw the redeployment of Engineer Adeyemi Adetunji, the Chief Operating Officer (COO), Upstream, to the Ventures & Business Development Directorate as COO. The position became vacant following last week’s voluntary retirement of Mr Roland Onoriode Ewubare.

The statement said President Buhari has accepted and approved the resignation of Mr Roland Ewubare, who was the immediate past COO, Ventures and New Business Directorate as well as the retirement of immediate past COO, Corporate Services, Engineer Farouk Garba Said.

It said that Mr President, who commended the two former COOs, thanked for their meritorious service to the Corporation.

Obateru’s statement further disclosed that other top-level staff affected by the shake-up include: Sir Billy Okoye, who has been redeployed from the NNPC Downstream Company, NNPC Retail Limited, as Managing Director, to replace Mr. Tombomieye as the Group General Manager, Crude Oil Marketing Division; with the General Manager, Sales and Marketing NNPC Retail Limited, Mrs Elizabeth Aliyuda, moved to replace Sir Okoye as Managing Director.

Also affected in the exercise Similarly, Mr. Usman Farouk, Executive Director Asset Management and Technical Services at the NGMC takes over from Mr. Ahmed as Managing Director.

Meanwhile, Group Managing Director of the Corporation, Mallam Mele Kyari, who spoke on the current development, said the new appointments are meant to ginger the NNPC for effective mandate execution towards meeting the expectation of her shareholders and Nigerians in general.

He maintained that ongoing restructuring within the NNPC aims at implementing and fully delivering on its corporate vision of Transparency, Accountability & Performance Excellence (TAPE).