President Johnathan appoints five new GEDs and sacks NNPC director

Jonathan sacks NNPC director, appoints five new GEDs

President Goodluck Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday sacked the Group Executive Director, Exploration and Production, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mr. Abiye Membere, and appointed five new ones to fill existing vacancies.

According to a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the new appointees and their portfolios are Mr. Ian Udoh, Group Executive Director, Refining and Petrochemicals; Dr. Dan Efebo, Group Executive Director, Corporate Services; and Ms. Aisha Abdurrahman, Group Executive Director, Business Development.

Others are Mr. Adebayo Ibirogba, Group Executive Director, Engineering and Technical; and Dr. Joseph Dawha, Acting Group Executive Director, Exploration and Production.

Abati said the appointments took immediate effect.

Among the GEDs, the one in charge of the Exploration and Production is one of the most influential in the hierarchy of the NNPC because the department is responsible for producing the crude oil that is the mainstay of the Nigerian economy.

It was gathered that some of the old GEDs had retired from the corporation without the government filling their positions, while some served in acting capacities.

For instance, the former GED, Refining and Petrochemicals, Mr. Anthony Ogbuigwe, and GED, Business Development, Mr. Aminu Babakusa, were said to have retired from the services of the NNPC.

The former acting GEDs, Corporate Services and Engineering and Technical were replaced with substantive directors.

Those that retained their portfolios are the GEDs, Commerce and Investment, Dr. Attahir Yusuf; Finance and Accounts, Mr. Bernard Otti; Gas and Power, Dr. David Ige; and Comapny Secretary/Legal Adviser, Anthony Madichie.

Udoh, according to the statement, is a native of Akwa Ibom State and has been the Managing Director of the Port Harcourt Refining and Petrochemicals Company Limited since November 2012.

He has considerable experience of managing the nation’s refineries, having previously held the position of Executive Director, Operations, at both the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemicals Company Limited and the PHRPC.

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