Energy

Oil minister, NNPC boss supremacy war escalates

Published

7 years ago

October 4, 2017

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Humiliated and sidestepped, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Ibe Kachiukwu has protested to President Muhammadu Buhari over the NNPC Group Managing Director Maikanti Baru’s insubordination and dereliction.

Among the issues raised in the memo dated August 30 were the unilateral posting and reorganisation, and the looming institutionalisation of corruption in the NNPC—all by Baru.

“Like many reorganization and reposting are done since Dr. Baru resumed as GMD, I was never given the opportunity before the announcements to discuss these appointments. This is so despite being Minister of State Petroleum and Chairman, NNPC Board,” Kachiukwu wrote, referring to the latest restructuring he got to know on social media.

The development was never reported to the NNPC board which Kachikwu chairs, and which has the oversight function of the corporation.

“At a minimum and like other parastatals supervised by me at the Ministry have continued to do and in compliance with proper governance standards expected of a multinational oil sector organization,” Kachiukwu stated in the Augus 30 memo Sahara Reporters published.

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The former NNPC board said he came into the job with a lot of desire to make positive changes, and he would have been more successful but for Baru’s insubordination and lack of transparency.

The minister said his effort and policy directions are focused on how to make the oil and gas industry more productive in the wake of the global oil slump.

“What this means is that parastatals in the Ministry and all CEOs of these parastatals must be aligned with the policy drive of the supervising ministry to allow the sector register the growth that has eluded it for years. To do otherwise or to exempt any of the parastatals would be to emplace a stunted growth in the industry,” said Kachiukwu.

He particularly asked Buhari to save the NNPC and the oil industry from collapse that may be occasioned by lack of transparency Baru is championing.