NNPC restructures, effects changes in 55 key positions

• Raises gas supply to power plants by 123%
• Plans to bridge disparity in gas prices with virtual pipelines

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has revisited its restructuring programme with the appointment and deployment of top executives across the value chain of its operations.

A total of 55 top management members of staff were affected in the new exercise.

Group Managing Director of the Corporation, Dr. Maikanti Baru, told NNPC members of staff shortly before the announcement that the new appointments would not only help to position the Corporation for the challenges ahead but would help to fill the gaps created due to statutory retirement of members of staff.

Under the new arrangement, formerly Managing Director of the Integrated Data Services Limited (IDSL), Roland Ewubare, moved to the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) as the new Group General Manager while Diepriye Tariah, former Group General Manager and Senior Technical Assistant to the NNPC Group Managing Director takes over from Ewubare as Managing Director of IDSL.

Executive Director (Operations) of the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC), Malami Shehu, was appointed Managing Director of the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) while former Managing Director of the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC), Adewale Ladenegan, was moved to KRPC to assume duty as managing director.

In the same vein, Muhammed Abah, who until recently is the Executive Director (Operations) of WRPC, succeeds Ladenegan as Managing Director of Warri Refinery.

With the retirement of Farouk Ahmed as the Managing Director of the Nigerian Products Marketing Company, (NPMC), Umar Ajiya, former Group General Manager in charge of Corporate Planning and Strategy (CP&S), now assumes duty as Managing Director of NPMC, while Bala Wunti, former General Manager (Downstream) in the GMD’s office takes charge as Group General Manager, CP&S.

Other changes include Usman Yusuf who takes over as Group General Manager/STA to the General Manager Direcot, Adeyemi Adetunji confirmed as Managing Director, NNPC Retail alongside Dr. Bola Afolabi who now functions as Group General Manager in charge of Research and Development Division of the Corporation.

Also on the list is Mrs. Ahmadu-Katagum appointed Group General Manager (GGM) (Shipping) in the Downstream Autonomous Business Unit while Kallamu Abdullahi takes over as the GGM in charge of the Renewable Energy Division in the Downstream ABU.

Dr. Shaibu Musa was promoted Managing Director of the NNPC, Medical Services Limited while Ibrahim Birma is the new Group General Manager in charge of the Corporation’s Audit Division now renamed Governance, Risk and Compliance Division.

Group Managing Director of the Corporation, Dr. Maikanti Baru, told NNPC staff shortly before the announcement was made public that the new appointments would not only help to position the Corporation for the challenges ahead but would help fill the gaps created due to statutory retirements of staff.

Meanwhile, the Corporation has increased its natural gas supply to the nation’s thermal power plants by 123 per cent to 730 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscf/d) to boost the supply of electricity.

The Corporation, in its June 2017 monthly financial and operations report released in a statement yesterday and signed by the Group General Manager, Ndu Ughamadu, said the gas supply was for June 2017 as against 327mmscf/d in the corresponding period in 2016.

According to the report, gas supply to power plants increased slightly by 0.13 per cent from 729mmscf/d in May 2017 to 730mmscf/d in June 2017.

Also, the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, has said the Federal Government will bridge the disparity in the prices of gas nationwide with virtual gas pipeline.

Kachikwu said this yesterday in Abuja at the signing of gas sales and aggregation between the NNPC/TEPNG Joint Venture, Greenville Oil and Gas Company and the Gas Aggregation Company Limited.

He stated that apart from ending gas pipeline vandalisation, the sales agreement would end disparity between the prices of gas in the southern part of the country and the North.