Baru Hands Over To New NNPC GMD Kyari Amidst Ovation
Excitement permeated the air at the elaborate farewell and handing over ceremony organized for the former Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru, who today July 8, officially handed over to his successor, Mr Mele Kolo Kyari, as the new GMD of the Corporation.
At the valedictory session attended by top management and staff, the former GMD bade the NNPC farewell as he bowed out of the Corporation after clocking the statutory retirement age of 60 years.
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The handing over was also witnessed by industry players in the oil and gas sector, top government officials and media executives, amongst others.
Speaking while delivering his speech, Baru recounted his achievement in office as the 18th GMD of the NNPC which he said included setting the Corporation on the path of recovery and sustainable growth.
The former GMD said it was indeed the right time for him to exit the NNPC and allow people with “fresh blood” to continue the journey of leading the Corporation.
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According to Baru, he doesn’t entertain any fear regarding the future of the NNPC, saying his joy is that he is leaving behind “competent, vibrant and good hands” that can be entrusted with leadership of the Organization.
He thanked all the former Chief Operating Officers (COOs) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) that worked closely with him to move the Corporation forward with the Twelve Business Focus Areas (12 BUFA).
According to him, through the 12BUFA, the NNPC achieved “the cash call exit repayment process of $5bn arrears of the JV through incremental production.”
Baru highlighted other achievements of the NNPC under his watch to include the incubation of “the shipping entities; NIDAS & NIKORMA & developed their revival paths, the reinvigoration of NNPC’s Research and Development Division, making it go commercial and got jobs outside the NNPC, including the OPEC Secretariat.”
He said the Corporation under his watch restored and increased in three-folds and stabilized the gas supply to domestic market for power generation, industries and other users. He said domestic gas supply now stands above 1.7 billion standard cubic feet (BSCF) per day.
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The former GMD said the corporation restored, increased and sustained crude oil and gas production to above 2 million barrels of oil per day (bopd) and gas production of 8,000MMscfd. He said the NNPC also revitalized and sustained Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) equity production from 22kbopd in 2016 to 165kbopd in 2018.
Buru also noted that his team ensured seamless and queue-free steady fuel supply in country throughout 2018, as supplier of last resort, while also expanding the footprint and market share of NNPC Retail through additional filling stations.
Concluding his speech, the former GMD said, “I have the comfort of knowing that from today, we are leaving the NNPC in better hands. I say without exaggeration that Mallam Mele Kolo Kyari and his team are the most capable and caring leaders that’ll take NNPC to greater heights.”
He noted that prior to Kyari’s appointment, the new GMD has effectively managed the Crude Oil Marketing Department (COMD) and the Direct Sale of Crude Oil and Direct Purchase of Petroleum product (DSDP) scheme which he said enabled the Corporation “manage petroleum products supply of which without this intervention, it would have been very difficult for NNPC the Nation.”
In his remark, Kyari thanked his predecessor for his tireless service in the last over two decades in the Corporation.
“I will like you to just sit down and tell yourself that you have done the right thing,” the new NNPC GMD told his predecessor while delivering his inaugural speech.
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He added, “”In the last 3 years, we have made giant trides under Dr Maikanti Baru. I am an insider in many of the laudable achievements recorded under him. We are going to deliver on the expectations of Nigerians from this great Corporation.”
Kyari further assured Nigerians that under his leadership, the NNPC will “remain more open, more credible, more focused and more accountable”
“We will deliver all our four refineries within the life of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. We shall seek strategic partnerships to ensure Nigeria becomes a net exporter of petroleum products.”
The new GMD thanked President Buhari for entrusting him with position, promising to carry out the task with honor.
“I’ll like to thank President Buhari for giving me the opportunity to serve. It is a challenge and I promise to do this job with integrity. I will never do anything against the interest of this Corporation,” he said.
While reiterating his commitment to transparency and zero tolerance for corruption, Kyari warned that no one should try to influence people close to him with monetary gifts as they would doing so at their own risk.
“To my family members, from today, if you accept any gift from anyone, then it is not from me. So those who want to give my family members gifts, let them know that my family members can never influence me,” said the new NNPC GMD.
