Dr Ibe Kachikwu and Dr Kachalla Baru at a public function.
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Dr Ibe Kachikwu and Dr Kachalla Baru at a public function.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, has written President Muhammadu Buhari, urging him to call the Group Managing Director (GMD), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Kachalla Baru, to order.
In a letter dated 30th August, 2017 with reference HMS/MPR/001/VOL.1/100, Kachikwu accused Baru of insubordination and humiliation by not subjecting himself and his activities at the Corporation to the NNPC Board which is chaired by Kachikwu.
According to the letter which was snapped and posted online by an alleged insider within the Presidency, Kachiwku stated that “Mr President, yesterday I resumed work confronted by publications of massive changes within NNPC like previous reorganizations and reposting done.
“Since Dr. Baru resumed as GMD I was never given the opportunity before the announcement to discuss this appointment. This is so despite being Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and chairman NNPC Board.
“The Board which by the statutes of NNPC is meant to review this planned appointment and postings was never briefed. Members of the Board learnt of this appointment from pages of social media and press release of NNPC.
“At a minimum and like other parastatals being supervised by me at the ministry have continue to do and in compliance with proper governance and standard expected of a multinational oil sectors organisation.
“It is in the spirit of service and absolute belief in your leadership and integrity that I have, after one year of tolerating this respectful and humiliating conduct by the GMD, decided to bring this to your attention.”
However, he recommended that President Buhari save the NNPC and the oil industry from collapse arising from the above non transparent practices and empower the Board to do the useful.
“That you save the office of the Minister of State from further humiliation and disrespect by compelling all parastatals to submit to oversight regulatory mandate and proper supervision which I am suppose to manage on your behalf.
“You kindly instruct the GMD to effectively leave NNPC to run as a proper institution and report out all along due process. Line to the board and that your excellency instruct that all reviews be done with the minister of states prior to your decision.
“That you approve that the recently announced reorganisation changes be suspended until the GMD, myself and the board have made relevant input to same this will send a clear signal of process and transparency.
“That your excellency encourages joint presentation meeting between heads of parastatals and the minister of state to you so as to encourage a culture of working together and inplant discipline in the hierarchy.
“These in my view, Mr President, will provide you balanced analysis on issues and avoid exposing the exalted office of Mr President to ridicule. It will also reduce. Non productive unsubstantiated rumor peddling,” it stated.
In his reaction, the spokesman of the NNPC, Ndu Ughamadu, told Nigerian Tribune via telephone conversation on Tuesday that he was not aware of any letter but will investigate and revert. According to him, “I have not read it. I will look for it and revert. We are in a meeting, as soon as we leave here, I will confirm and revert.
On his part, the spokesman to Kachikwu, Uche Ozurumba, told the Nigerian Tribune via text message that officials of the Petroleum Ministry are meeting over the issue and revert as soon as possible.
“I have been in a meeting all day on it (letter). You would her from me on this soon. Thanks,” he stated.
Kachikwu deplores leakage of document to Buhari
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, on Tuesday deplored the leakage to the public of a memo to President Muhammadu Buhari by the ministry.
Kachikwu expressed the displeasure in a statement in Abuja by Mr Idang Alibi, Director, Press Relations, in the ministry.
He said ”the attention of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources has been drawn to a publication on a memo emanating from the ministry.
”Please note the following: the communication under reference is a normal procedural correspondence by the minister to the President relating to developments in parastatals under his supervision.
”It is most distressing to the ministry of petroleum resources that a confidential communication to the President on the performance of one of its parastatals can be made public.
”The focus of the communication was on improving efficiency and deepening transparency in the oil and gas sector for continued investor-confidence.
”It is noteworthy that the President has been fully supportive of the efforts of the ministry to entrench good governance and accountability in the oil and gas sector.
”The ministry of petroleum resources remains focused on achieving measurable progress in the implementation of the ongoing oil sector reforms in line with the mandate of the president.”
The social media had reported that Kachikwu wrote a letter to Buhari complaining of disregard for official processes by Dr Maikanti Baru, Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). NAN
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