NNPC Reacts As Nigerians Criticize Its Appointment Of Northerners

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has reacted to criticisms from Nigerians, Niger Delta leaders groups that there is a level of partiality in the corporation’s appointment process.

In March, the Corporation had sacked some of its staff and appointed new top management officials.

Reacting in a statement yesterday, the NNPC said its ppointments always adhere to the principle of transparency and accountability.

It noted that being a federal character was also a factor in the progression of the newly appointees.

According to him, many top management officers of the corporation were moved to new positions, while others were promoted due to their good performance in the past.

Kennie Obateru said some “Chief Operating Officers, Group General Managers and Managing Directors of subsidiaries were affected in what some industry analysts described as the most objective placement exercise in the recent history of the National Oil Company”.

According to him, due to the changes, there was a re-deployment of the erstwhile COO, Upstream, Roland Ewubare, to the Ventures and Business Development Directorate as COO.

He said Ewubare was replaced early the COO upstream by Adeyemi Adetunji, erstwhile COO in charge of Downstream directorate.

It added that Lawrencia Ndupu, redeployed to the Downstream, is a Physicist and renowned explorationist that has held many key positions.

NNPC explained that the new appointments depicted a leadership determined to ensure placement of square pegs in square holes