President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday appointed the board and management members of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited. 

Also appointed were executives of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission

Femi Adesina, the president’s spokesman, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja. He said the move is in accordance with the powers vested in the president in Section 59(2) of the Petroleum Industry Act (2021).

Senator Margret Chuba Okadigbo (South-East), will chair the board while Messrs Mele Kolo Kyari and Umar I. Anita remains Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Financial Officer respectively.

Other board members are Dr Tajudeen Umar (North-East), Lami Ahmed (North-Central), Mohammed Lawal (North-West), Henry Obih (South-East), Constance Harry Marshal (South-South), and Pius Akinyelure (South-West).

Mr Adesina says the appointments take effect from the date of the incorporation of the NNPC Ltd.

In a similar vein, executive commissioners for the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission have been appointed.

“They are Dr Nuhu Habib (Kano), Executive Commissioner, Development and Production; Dr Kelechi Onyekachi Ofoegbu (Imo), Executive Commissioner, Economic Regulations and Strategic Planning and Captain Tonlagha Roland John (Delta), Executive Commissioner, Health, Safety, Environment and Community, and Jide Adeola (Kogi), Executive Commissioner, Corporate Services and Administration,’’ the statement read.

The media aide stated that the president had earlier appointed the Board Chairman, Executive Commissioner, Exploration and Acreage Management, and Executive Commissioner, Finance and Accounts for the commission.

“New appointees at the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority are Francis Alabo Ogaree (Rivers), Executive Director, Hydrocarbon Processing; Mustapha Lamorde (Adamawa) and Executive Director, Health, Safety, Environment and Community.

“Mansur Kuliya (Kano), Executive Director, Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund; Bashir Sadiq (Sokoto), Executive Director, Corporate Services and Administration and Dr Zainab Gobir (Kwara), Executive Director, Economic Regulations and Strategic Planning.

“They join the Board Chairman, Executive Director, Downstream Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure, the CEO, and Executive Director, Finance and Accounts, who had earlier been appointed.

“For the Midstream and Downstream Infrastructure Fund, new Council Members are Effiong Abia (Akwa Ibom), Bobboi Ahmed (Adamawa), and Engr Abdullahi Bukar (Katsina),’’ Mr Adesina also stated.

President Buhari had last September written to the Senate on the administrative structure amendments to the Petroleum Industry Act.

It included appointment of non-executive board members, removal of the Ministries of Petroleum and Finance from the board of the two new institutions, and the appointment of executive directors. 

(NAN)