DO NOT DISTRACT, ALL HANDS MUST BE ON DECK AT THE NNPC

 

By Abdul Kola

Mallam Mele Kyari was appointed the Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in July 2019. He graduated from the University of Maiduguri with Bachelor of Science Degree (Bsc) in Geology and Earth Science in 1987. Thereafter, he worked with the Department of Geological Survey of Nigeria as a Field Geologist. 

Mele Kyari later moved to the employ of the NNPC where he rose through the ranks to become the 19th GMD of the giant oil company in 2019. Bearing his achievements in the corporation through the ranks, his appointment was seen as a milestone by both the Corporation’s staff and major stakeholders in the oil and gas industry. 

There were high expectations, as he promised to reposition the industry for optimal productivity that will enhance positive benefits for the country. So far, he has surmounted the challenges and deliver on his 5 point agenda. 

It is not in doubt that Mele Kyari’s efforts through transparency, accountability and performance excellence has yielded the desired results, thereby, propelled the corporation’s productivity as never before in the history of the NNPC as an oil conglomerate.

His teamwork template has beefed up the entire workforce that craved and oiled the performance indices beyond expectations to the bewilderment of even the skeptics. In a nutshell, his avowed mindset to reposition the national oil company by transforming it into one of the best in Africa is glaringly manifesting in the seamless petroleum products availability to all Nigerians at every nook and cranny in the country.

From the on-set, at the handing over ceremony from Dr Maikanti Baru to his humble self,  Kyari said his envisaged reforms in NNPC would be anchored on five pillars of Transparency, Accountability and Performance Excellence (TAPE) agenda.

Kyari stated that, his appointment as a GMD of the NNPC was a call to service which required that in the discharge of his duties, he would be transparent and accountable. 

”The NNPC is the mainstay of the nation’s economy. We must reposition NNPC for better service; we must reposition it to support the economy. We will work very hard with the Nigerian public and all the stakeholders. He emphasized that “We shall be transparent and accountable. My new management will review our processes and we will reposition NNPC for growth”, he said.

Keeping to his words, the management team under his watch has introduced new business models in all its Strategic Business Units (SBUs) and Corporate Service Units (CSUs). This is to ensure the commercial viability of the Corporation in order to remain competitive in the global oil and gas industry.

The Business models that were considered by the new management include: New business models and organizational structures for all the SBUs and CSUs such as, NNPC Retail Ltd, Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) and others. These initiatives are meant to capitalize and create profit-oriented SBUs; implement Enterprise content management (ECM); and implement performance management based on commercial orientation.

Other remarkable successes recorded by the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari, include focusing on entrenching accountability and transparency, rebuilding NNPC’s financial position, implementing NPDC growth strategy, monetizing gas resources for national economic growth and development, revamping critical facilities and infrastructure as well as promoting capacity building, empowerment and staff welfare.

The Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) Rehabilitation Project has commenced with the full commitment of delivering the plant for maximum production, with a targeted minimum of 90% capacity utilization when completed.

The Re-opening of OML 25 flow station after two years of inactivity as a result of issues between the host community/Belema Oil and Shell Petroleum Development Company.

Others also include

"Construction of $2.8billion  Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano(AKK) 614km long Gas pipeline project".

 “signing of novation agreement with Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC), to formalise the transfer of OMLs 60, 61 and 63 to the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC).

“The execution of a funding, technical services agreement and alternative financing deal worth 3.15 billion dollars OML 13 and 876 million dollars OML 65.

“Signing of 2.5 billion dollars prepayment agreement with Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG), for upstream gas supply for trains 1-6 and the Finalisation of the 2018 audit of the NNPC Group and improved engagement with key stakeholders, notably, the National Assembly”.

Despite all these remarkable successes recorded by Mele Kyari as the helmsman at the corporation, some top management staff within and outside of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)  are said to be lobbying for the position of the Group Managing Director, instead of focusing on the tasks assigned to them by the corporation.

At this time of repositioning the NNPC, all hands must be on deck in order to achieve the set objectives of transparency, accountability and performance excellence for the benefit of the country and her citizens.

For the sake of continuity, we implore the Presidency to allow Mele Kyari to continue to holdsway in the affairs of the NNPC, so as to attain the noble objectives he has set for himself that can better the lot of us.

Credit: Concerned Nigerians and Nigerians in diaspora