Kachikwu hands over to new NNPC GMD, vows to sustain reforms

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr. Ibe Kachikwu, Friday, formally stepped down as the Group Managing Director, GMD, of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, with the handing over to the new helmsman, Mr. Maikanti Baru.

This was even as the newly appointed GMD, Baru, rolled out a 12-point programme for the NNPC, which included addressing and defraying the cash calls arrears owed International Oil Companies, IOC, by the NNPC and also ensuring that the Federal Government is relieved of the burden of cash calls obligations.

Speaking during the handover in Abuja, Kachikwu promised to partner and support the new GMD, in undertaking a wholistic reform of the NNPC and the Nigerian petroleum industry and also in bridging the infrastructure deficit in the industry.

Kachikwu said over the last 11 months when he held sway at the NNPC, a number of milestones were attained, while he expressed optimism that the new GMD would surpass his achievements and take the corporation to new heights.

Some of the achievements, according to Kachikwu, included the restructuring of the NNPC, the deregulation of the downstream sector of the petroleum industry, revamping of the countries refineries and bringing the NNPC to profitability among others.

Details later.