Allegations Of Insubordination, Corruption: Senate Orders Probe of NNPC GMD, Baru

The senate has ordered probe into allegations made by the minister of state for petroleum resources, Ibe Kachikwu against the group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Maikanti Baru.

The minister had in a letter addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari, accused Baru of insubordination and disregard for official processes.

“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,” Kachikwu had alleged.

“Indeed, in anticipation of vacancies that would arise from retiring senior executives of NNPC, I wrote the GMD a letter requesting that we both have prior review of the proposed appointments.

“Not only did he not give my letter the courtesy of a reply, he proceeded to announce the appointments without consultation on board concurrence,” he added.

In its reaction to the allegations, the senate, during Wednesday’s plenary, following a motion by senator representing Imo east, Samuel Anyanwu, titled ‘allegations of corruption against NNPC trading: time to conduct a holistic investigation’, ordered an immediate probe into the matter.

Senator Anyanwu had said, “almost all products to Duke Oil, this is in addition to its automatic inclusion in the lifting of crude oil, gas etc, which thus, made Duke Oil a money spinning outfit that is accountable only to NNPC.

“Duke Oil as the sole importer of AGO has slowed down the growth of the country’s indigenous companies.

“Since NNPC owns NNPC trading limited and the refineries, they also shortlist companies that get allocation of products, lifting of crude oil and importation of products thus, giving undue advantage to the in house company, even where it lacks the capacity and requisite requirements to do what it is doing today.

“The general lack of transparency and level playing field in favour of Duke Oil to lift products without payment as against its competitors in the sector. These have combined to make Duke Oil the highest money earner and at the same time, the highest money waster because of the massive corruption in the way and manner they transact business.”

He said Duke Oil lacked the credentials to trade internationally and its relationship with the NNPC has stifled the “growth of indigenous companies operating in the sector”.