More heads to roll in NNPC, says GMD

The Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, yesterday gave indication that more sacking and redeployment of personnel will take place in the Corporation.

Speaking with State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, he said that three stages of restructuring would take place in the NNPC.

According to him, the new look NNPC will start manifesting in the next six months.

“I don’t want to over critique an institution I have taken over please. Having said that, things have been done wrongly and things need to be done differently.

“We are doing a lot of work in terms of repositioning, restructuring, getting the right personal in key places and setting a culture of accountability and service delivery so that the new NNPC that you are going to see will be a different institution altogether,” he said.

On how far he was going with the restructuring, he said: “Complete. It’s A to zero restructuring. I have done the first three layers, which is going to the GEDs to GGMs and General Managers.

“You are going to have a lot more now. The GEDs and GGMs will take it to the next layer which is the lower layer. And the whole idea is to go back to being able to look at your appraisals; how well have you done in the job and if you’ve done very well, how do we elevate you to a position where you can offer more service.

“If you’ve not done well enough, we can retrain you and if you’ve not done well enough and there is no possibility of retraining you, we will let you go.

“At the end of the day, NNPC isn’t public service. It’s a corporation and we run like a company generating money for the people of Nigeria. And so, that whole concept of anything goes should stop. And this is the first stage of that whole process.

“It’s a three-pronged process that I am pursuing. There’s a people aspect which we are dealing with now; there is a process aspect; after the people at the right places, you are going to get forensic audit done so that we know clearly; it’s a proper forensic audit that will cover all the way to 2014, 2015, that will be able to say to you, this is the state of the company,” he added.

According to him, processes and controls are going to be put in place under his tenure.

He also said the NNPC is going to embark on retraining and repositioning.

“We are going to re-engage our majors and minors, all those who are active in the sector, for us to work as a team to try to take Nigeria forward. It’s going to be the process stage.”

Meanwhile, the Group General Manager, Public Affairs of NNPC, Ohi Alegbe, has said that the task of restructuring the corporation into a lean, efficient, and business-focused organization has commenced with management’s approval of the retirement of thirty-eight senior managers.

Alegbe said in a statement yesterday that the downsizing which saw the exit of all senior managers who were billed to retire between now and December 2016 is also a cost-saving measure.

“The exercise, apart from gearing the Corporation in the direction of a leaner and more efficient organization, has enormous cost-saving benefits.”

Alegbe also announced that the Group Managing Director, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, with the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari, has appointed new Group General Managers (GGMs) to man some of its Divisions.

Some of the new GGMs include Mr. Mele Kyari, Crude Oil Marketing Division (COMD).

The previous manager of the division, Gbenga Olu Komolafe, was reassigned to cover special duties within the company last week.

Mr. Ahmadu Sambo, NNPC Oilfield Services; Dr. Surajdeen Bola Afolabi, ITD/SAP; Mr. Zubair Aliyu, NNPC Capital; Mr. Dafe Sejebor, Nigerian Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS); Mrs. Kemi Akitoye, Human Resources Division; Mr. Godwin C. Okonkwo, Finance; Mr. Bello Rabiu, Corporate Planning Division; Mr. Anibo Kragha, Treasury; and Mr. Dalhatu Makama, Shipping (Nidas & Nikorma).

Others appointed are: Mr. Samuel Ndukwe, GGM, Power; Mr. Mike Balami, GGM, Accounts; Mr. Yusuf Matashi, GGM, LNG; Mr. Rabiu Suleiman, GGM, Engineering & Technology; and Dr. Olubunmi Oyetunde; GGM, Medical.

NNPC receives about half, or one million barrels per day, of the country’s total production out of which 445,000 bpd is allocated to Nigeria’s refineries.