Buhari sacks NNPC GMD *Names new NCC boss

President Muhammadu Buhari today 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 President Goodluck 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 NNPC board in June and has consistently expressed dissatisfaction with the corporation.

The president also approved the appointment of Prof. Umaru Garba Danbatta as the new Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

“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,” the statement added.