By David Olalekan.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has clarified reasons behind the removal of Dr. Maikanti Baru as Group Managing Director of the NNPC by President Muhammadu Buhari.
In a statement issued by the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs, Ndu Ughamadu, the corporation disclosed that Baru is due for statutorily retirement on July 7, 2019, on the ground of attainment of 60 years retirement age.
“A follow-up release on the new appointments by the NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, informed that the new Group Managing Director, Mr. Mele Kolo Kyari, who takes over from a current occupier of the office, Dr. Maikanti Baru, effectively on 8th July 2019, is until his new appointment the Group General Manager, Crude Oil Marketing Division of NNPC.
“Dr. Baru would retire statutorily on July 7, 2019”, the statement stated.
The NNPC further disclosed that Mr. Kyari, while as Group General Manager, Crude Oil Marketing Division of the NNPC, also simultaneously served as Nigeria’s National Representative to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) since 13th May, 2018.
According to the NNPC spokesperson, “Kyari would be bringing to his new appointment more than 27 years of experience in the various value chains of the Petroleum Industry.”