Buhari sacks NNPC, NCC heads, appointsreplacements

JUSTUS ADEJUMOH

President MuhammaduBuhariyesterday relieved Dr. Joseph Dawha of his appointment as the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the President has subsequently appointed Dr. Emmanuel Kachikwu as Dawha’s replacement.

Kachikwu, until his new appointment, was the Executive Vice Chairman and General Counsel of Exxon-Mobil (Africa).He hails from Onicha-Ugbo in Delta State.

He is a First Class Graduate of Law from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and the Nigerian Law School. He also has Masters and Doctorate Degrees in Law from the Harvard Law School.

He started his working career with the Nigerian/American Merchant Bank before moving on to Texaco Nigeria Limited where he remained for about eight years before joining ExxonMobil.

It would be recalled that former PresidentGoodluckEbele Jonathan appointed Dawha on August 1, 2014, after dismissing Andrew Yakubu.

The corporation has been enmeshed in corruption allegations over the years and has come under barrage of criticisms in recent times.

Buhari dissolved the NNPC board in June and has consistently expressed dissatisfaction with the corporation.

The president also refused to extend the tenure ofthe Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC),Dr. Eugene Juwah whose tenure expired on July 29.

He instead, approved the appointment of Prof. UmaruGarbaDanbattato replace him.

Prof. Danbatta, who holds a Doctorate Degree in Electronic Engineering, takes over from Dr. Eugene Juwah whose tenure expired on July 29.

The new NCC Chief Executive’s other academic qualifications include a Bachelors Degree in Electronic Engineering and Telecommunications as well as a Masters Degree in the same field.

He is a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers and has had a meritorious career in which he rose to become Professor of Electrical Engineering and Electronics at Bayero University, Kano, specializing in Telecommunications Engineering and Information and Communications Technology.

Before his new appointment, Prof. Danbatta held top management and leadership positions at different times including Head of Department, Dean Of Faculty, Director, Centre for Information Technology, Chairman of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (Kano Branch), Deputy Vice Chancellor and Acting Vice Chancellor.

Meanwhile, the newly appointed Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Dr. Emmanuel Kachikwu, has assumed duty at the corporation.

The GMD assumed duty during a brief handover ceremony held at the NNPC Towers, Abuja, on Tuesday.

Speaking at the event, the new helmsman expressed gratitude to his predecessor, Dr. Joseph Dawha, for his hard work in holding the corporation, while pledging to work assiduously in achieving the President’s growth aspiration for the oil and gas industry.

Stakeholders in the oil and gas sector have continued to laudthe Federal Government’s initiative in appointing a private sector-based knowledge to drive the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) operations.Some of them made the commendation in Lagos.

Managing Director, Integrated Oil and Gas Limited, Mr Emmanuel Iheanacho, in his reaction, said that “it is a welcome development.While I congratulate him on his new appointment, I also urge him to reform the corporation and ensure it is corruption free.

“The new man is a well-known experienced oil and gas captain of so many years; he will use his good experience to reform the corporation.”

Mr ChineduOkoronkwo said that the era of impunity in the corporation was over, adding that the oil and gas sector would begin to experience re-birth in the hands of private sector driven person.

“That is the change the people had been clamouring for. Buhari understands the system and he is the man for the job.”

According to him, the days when a single marketer or individual will be given allocation to control the oil and gas market are over.

A source at NNPC said that the appointment was a welcome development, adding that Kachikwu would address the issues of corruption and dubious accounting practices in the corporation.

The source said that Kachikwu, who had been scheduled to perform a wider role in his new portfolio, was a very well respected technocrat with an impeccable record.

It said he had never held a political appointment.

The source said that the new GMD was expected to use his vast experience to restructure the NNPC, pursue creditors and recover missing funds.

He is also expected to reposition the NNPC into a world-class corporation, amongst several other tasks.