The Nigerian National Petroleum Commission (NNPC) has been on the receiving end of criticism from Nigerians, especially some Niger Delta leaders and groups, for allegations that it had retrenched some of its staff and appointed top management officials from the Northern part of Nigeria.

The NNPC has debunked the allegations in a statement by the spokesman for the corporation, Dr. Kennie Obateru, issued in Abuja on Sunday. The PRO stated that the recent appointment of top management staff was based on professional competence, and adherence to the principle of transparency and accountability. According to him, the Federal Character factor was considered all through the process.

He noted that experience and competence were considered during the reshuffling in March, as many top management officers were moved to new positions, while some were promoted based on their verifiable track records of performance.

Dr Obateru said, “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.”

One of the changes made was the re-deployment of the former Chief Operating Officer of the upstream division, Mr Roland Ewubare, to the Ventures and Business Development Directorate as the Chief Operating Officer.

Mr Adetunji, a first-class Mechanical Engineering graduate from the prestigious University of Lagos who started his over 30 years’ career as a maintenance engineer and later a project engineer at Lever Brothers Nigeria Limited (Unilever) and erstwhile Chief of Corporation’s Downstream Division, assumed Mr Ewubare’s erstwhile position as Chief Operation Officer, Upstream.

Furthermore, Ms Ndupu, a Physicist who started her working career with the corporation in January 1986 and has held many key positions, was redeployed to the downstream division.

Mr Bala Wunti, the erstwhile Managing Director of the Petroleum Products Marketing Company, was appointed as the new Group General Manager of the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS).

Also, the reshuffling kept Mr Adokiye Tombomieye, who is from the South-South region of Nigeria, in a highly strategic position in the corporation as the Group General Manager, Crude Oil Marketing.

The PRO of the corporation expatiated that the new appointments showed the corporation’s determination in putting competent people in the right positions to ensure effectiveness and better productivity – placing square pegs in square holes – and in doing this, he reaffirmed that the firm was fair in its geographical spreading.