President Goodluck Jonathan has fired the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Austen Oniwon, as well as other top officials of the corporation in a shocking sweeping move.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity made the announcement via Twitter hours earlier tonight:
President Jonathan has appointed a new executive management team for the NNPC. Press statement will be issued shortly.
— Reuben Abati (@abati1990) June 26, 2012
In the press statement that followed, it was revealed that President Jonathan appointed a new NNPC boss. Andrew Yakubu, an engineer, will now replace the former NNPC Group MD.
The staff change at the NNPC was one of the recommendations put forward by the House of Representatives during their review of the Farouk Lawan-led Committee report.
The full press statement and new appointments are below:
PRESIDENT JONATHAN APPROVES RE-COMPOSITION OF NNPC MANAGEMENT TEAM
To further strengthen the ongoing reforms and transformation of Nigeria’s Petroleum sector, and in furtherance of efforts to achieve greater transparency and accountability in government, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has approved the re-composition of the executive management team of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) as follows:
- Engr. Andrew Yakubu – Group Managing Director
- Mr. Bernard O.N. Otti – Group Executive Director (Finance and Accounts)
- Engr. Abiye Membere – Group Executive Director (Exploration and Production)
- Dr. Peter S. Nmadu – Group Executive Director (Corporate Services)
- Engr. Anthony Ogbuigwe – Group Executive Director (Refineries & Petrochemicals)
- Dr. Attahir B. Yusuf – Group Executive Director (Commercial & Investments)
- Dr. David Ige – Group Executive Director (Gas & Power)
The incoming Group Managing Director, Engr. Andrew Yakubu graduated from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1979 with a degree in Chemical Engineering. He joined the NNPC in 1980. Positions he has held in the corporation include Managing Director of the Warri Refining and Petrochemicals Company and Group Executive Director (Exploration and Production).
Engr. Yakubu is an indigene of Kaduna State and a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers. President Jonathan has also approved the appointment of Engr. Victor Briggs as the new Managing Director of the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC).
The incumbent Group Managing Director, Engr. Austen Oniwon, and Mr. Michael Arokodare (outgoing Group Executive Director (Finance and Accounts), Mr. Philip Chukwu, outgoing Group Executive Director (Refineries & Petrochemicals), and Engr. Billy Agha, outgoing Group Executive Director (Engineering & Technology) are to proceed on retirement.
President Jonathan commends the outgoing directors for their service to the nation and urges the new management team to be fully committed to rapidly implementing the critical interventions needed to positively transform Nigeria’s petroleum industry.
Reuben Abati
Special Adviser to the President , Media & Publicity
