By Trouble In NNPC As Kachikwu Writes Buhari Over Baru’s Insubordination
All seem not to be well with the structure and leadership of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation as the Chairman of the Board and Minister of State, Dr Ibe Kachikwu has written to President Muhammadu Buhari to report acts of insubordination and humiliation by the Group Managing Director, Dr Maikanti Baru.
Reports gathered revealed that the petition was contained in a letter written by Dr Kachikwu to Buhari on August 30th where he alleged that the NNPC boss had repeatedly sidelined and disrespected the board of the national oil firm, which he chairs. He revealed that appointments and postings were carried out without the knowledge and approval of the Board.
It will be recalled that President Buhari appointed Kachikwu as NNPC GMD in August 2015 before he was also appointed as Minister of State of NNPC. The Corporation later had changes when the appointment of Dr Baru was confirmed as the new GMD in 2016 and Kachikwu was made Chairman of the Board, which super-cedes the position of the GMD.
The letter reads, “Mr. President, yesterday (August 29, 2017) like many other Nigerians, l resumed work and confronted with many publications of massive changes within the NNPC.
“Like the previous reorganisations and ‘repostings’ done since Dr. Baru resumed as GMD, I was never given the opportunity before the announcements to discuss these appointments. This is so despite being the Minister of State, Petroleum, and Chairman, NNPC Board.
“The board of NNPC, which you appointed and which has met every month since its inauguration, and which, by the NNPC, is meant to review these planned appointments and postings, was never briefed. Members of the board learnt of these appointments from the pages of social media and the press release of NNPC.”
The Minister also told the President that he had only keep up with the disrespectful and humiliating conducts of Baru for the past year because of his belief and integrity in leadership. He said that all the officials of the parastatals and their CEOs must be aligned with the policy which is aimed at the growth of the industry which had eluded for many years.
