VIDEO: Baru Officially Hands Over To Kyari As 19th GMD Of NNPC

The immediate past Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru on Monday officially handed over to the new GMD Mele Kyari.

WuzupNaija reports that President Muhammadu Buhari had on June 20 appointed Kyari as the new GMD alongside seven others as Chief Operating Officers.

Their appointments take effect today as Baru official retires from the corporate having clocked the statutory age of 60 on Sunday.

Following the statutory retirement of Baru on Monday as the 18th GMD of NNPC, a valedictory session was held in his honour at the NNPC Towers in Abuja where Kyari also took over at the GMD.

Kyari, a geologist, was Group General Manager, Crude Oil Marketing Division of NNPC and also doubled, since 13th May 2018, as Nigeria’s National Representative to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC.

In his address at the valedictory session, Baru said he is delighted to be leaving behind competent, vibrant and good hands that he can entrust with the leadership of the corporation.

He said: “It is three years since I took over as the 18th GMD of NNPC. Over these eventful 1,099 days, I’ve done my very best to put the Corporation on the path of recovery, then to sustainable growth.

“As always, there is a time when it is proper to leave the scene for fresh blood to continue the journey of leading the Corporation. For me, this time is NOW!

“My joy is, I am leaving behind competent, vibrant and good hands that I can entrust the leadership of the Organisation to.

“When you are young, speed and adrenaline seem to be great. But as you get older and wiser, comfort and peace of mind are not to be despised either. This is called S.O.S.: Slower, Older and Smarter!

“I have the comfort of knowing that from today, we are leaving NNPC in better hands. I say without exaggeration that Mallam Kyari and his team are the most capable and caring leaders that’ll take NNPC to greater heights.

“Before now, Kyari has effectively managed the COMD and the DSDP scheme that enabled us to manage the petroleum products supply of which without this intervention, it would have been very difficult for @NNPC and the Nation.”

Also in attendance were Ekiti State Governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Dr. Kayode Fayemi as well as former GMDs of NNPC, Dr. M.T. John, Chief Odoliyi Lolomari, Chief Festus Marinho (1st NNPC GMD), Engr. Abubakar Yar’adua, Chief Chamberlain Oyibo, Engr. Funsho Kupolokun and Dr. Joseph Dawha.