… Restructuring is mere hypocrisy with Komolafe still in service – sources
Following the ongoing restructuring and reactions trailing it at the the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the corporation has decried attempts by a section of the media to politicise the recent appointments and retirements in the Corporation by imputing ethnic coloration to the exercise.
In a statement signed by the corporation’s spokesman, Ohi Alegbe, the Corporation clarified that the appointments were made with the express approval of President Muhammadu Buhari and in compliance with extant laws regarding federal character, while the retirement exercise affected all those who were to retire between now and 2016 without any regard to ethnicity or state of origin.
“The recent appointments, promotions, and retirements are all a part of the ongoing restructuring exercise aimed at repositioning the Corporation into a lean, efficient, profit-driven organisation in line with international best practices without regard to primordial sentiments,” Alegbe said.
He called on the Nigerian public to discountenance any report aimed at denigrating the ongoing reorganisation exercise in the Corporation.
Earlier, the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the corporation, Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu had been accused of selective sacking.
Sources close to the corporation had claimed that Kachikwu was sparing his friends while sacking others.
The sources pointed to Gbenga Komolafe as an example of such people who were spared despite been shady. They pointed out that Komolafe linked to several transactions that shortchanged the nation in the oil sector during the last administration, yet he was retained, meanwhile his counterparts in other departments were forced to resign.
The source further argued that Komolafe who held positions in commercial divisions including Executive Director Commercial, Pipeline and Products Marketing Company and recently the Group General Manager (GGM), Crude Oil Marketing Division, has now been posted as GGM Special Duties in the oil tower, a new position created by the new GMD.
“The forced retirement which kicked out 38 senior officials for their roles in the past didn’t affect Komolafe because he is Kachikwu’s friend,” the source claimed.
“If people like Haruna Momoh are among the list of the retirees due to their closeness with the former minister of petroleum resources, then there is no reason Mr Komolafe should be spared because he is even closer to the former minister.”
The sources said the whole restructuring agenda being championed by Kachikwu would be mere waste of time and hypocrisy if people like Komolafe are retained in NNPC.
