Appointments: NNPC Reacts To Allegation Of Nepotism

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has debunked claims that it is fostering nepotism in appointments into the corporation.

The corporation said its appointments always adhere to the tenets of transparency and accountability.

The corporation in March dismissed some of its staff and appointed new top management officials.

This ignited opprobrium from Nigerians, Niger Delta leaders and groups, with many accusing it of appointing only northerners in the scheme.

But in a statement on Sunday by Kennie Obateru, the corporation maintained that it appointments were in line with the principle of federal character.

It said many top management officers of the corporation were moved to new positions, while some were promoted based on their verifiable track records of performance.

Obateru said some “Chief Operating Officers, Group General Managers and Managing Directors of subsidiaries were affected in what some industry analysts described as the most objective placement exercise in the recent history of the National Oil Company”.

He noted that the changes saw the re-deployment of the erstwhile COO, Upstream, Roland Ewubare, to the Ventures and Business Development Directorate as COO.

NNPC said Ewubare’s position as COO Upstream was taken over by Adeyemi Adetunji, erstwhile COO in charge of Downstream directorate.

It added that Lawrencia Ndupu, redeployed to the Downstream, is a Physicist and renowned explorationist that has held many key positions.

Bala Wunti, the erstwhile MD of the Petroleum Products Marketing Company was appointed as the new GGM of the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS).

The statement added that Lawal Sade, the new MD of the NNPC Trading Company, was the MD of NIDAS, a shipping arm of the company.

Then spokesman said the exercise retained Adokiye Tombomieye, from the South-South, as GGM, Crude Oil Marketing.

NNPC explained that the new appointments depicted a leadership determined to ensure placement of square pegs in square holes.