BUHARI APPOINTS SENATOR ARARUME CHAIR OF NNPC, BOARD, DIRECTS CORPORATION’S INCORPORATION

By Joy Okosieme

President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed a board for Nigeria’s national oil company, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation(NNPC).

Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

According to the statement, President Buhari in his capacity as Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum and pursuant to the powers conferred on him by Section 59(2) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, President Buhari has approved the appointment of the Board and Management of the NNPC Limited, with effect from the date of incorporation of the Company.

Former Governship aspirant of Imo State, Senator Ifeanyi Ararume, is the Chairman of the Board while Malam Mele Kyari, Group Managing Director of NNPC, and Umar Ajiya are Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Financial Officer, respectively.

Other Board Members include; Dr Tajudeen Umar (North East), Mrs Lami Ahmed (North Central), Mallam Mohammed Lawal (North West), Senator Margaret Chuba Okadigbo (South East), Barrister Constance Harry Marshal (South South), and Chief Pius Akinyelure (South West).

As part of powers under the PIA 2021 specifically as conferred on him by Section 53(1) of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021, which requires that the NNPC be incorporated within six months of the commencement of the Act, President Buhari has also directed that NNPC be incorporated as the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.

He directed Malam Kyari to take necessary steps to ensure that the incorporation of the NNPC Limited is consistent with the provisions of the PIA 2021.