By Maryam Abeeb
As the Federal Government, under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, mulls sale of the NNPCL’s shares to further deregulate the nation’s oil giant and reposition it as a full blast private sector-driven entity to maximise more profits and also help it to enjoy a healthy existence, a key role player in the energy sector, Alhaji Muhammad Saleh Hassan, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure that the current GCEO of the NNPCL, Malam Mele Kiari, remains in the vanguard of the reformation.
Hassan, who is the Chairman of Skymark Energy and Power Ltd, stressed that Kyari had the requisite professional skill, acumen, experience and track records of innovation, reformation and achievements in the industry to deliver the expected result with credibility.
Hassan also advised the president to retain Kyari as the head of the oil conglomerate “not only because of his plethora of achievements so far, but also because he is an expert, a technocrat and core professional who understands the dynamics of the industry and can deliver results than a new entrant who has never risen to his position could deliver.
The Skymark boss stated in a chat with pressmen in Abuja, that Tinubu had a knack for professionalism and competence in appointment of people into positions and would never sacrifice Kyari’s capacity on the altar of any sentiment by replacing him in the impending NNPCL’s reformation.
Hassan said that as the president of Nigeria, he should do more by maintaining and even exceeding the momentum.
“We have a president that believes in competence and professionalism. He created the path and treaded it tenaciously in Lagos with appointment of professionals and competent hands into sensitive positions. This paid off when the technocrats and think thanks delivered with optimal results which earned his government a huge popularity and credibility in terms of performance.
He added: “At this juncture, it’s also sacrosanct for him to maintain technocrats and think tank that have been in sensitive positions before he came on board and not remove them in the name of changes. If a professional, technocrat and think tank in positions has done very well with good track records, there is no need to remove him, especially now that the president is looking for such hands to bring on board. You don’t change a winning team.
According to him, Kyari also worked assiduously with Buhari for the removal of fuel subsidy which, under his watch as the head of the NNPCL came to reality under Tinubu as president.
He stated that kyari fought fuel theft in the Niger Delta and halted the shenanigan.
“Following Kyari’s crucial roles in the realisation of fuel subsidy removal vision, Tinubu should carry him along with the Economic Advisory Council, bring them together and design a way forward with a view to reducing or eliminating the current hardship occasioned by the removal.
While also speaking on the sale of the NNPCL shares which is in the offing, Hassan noted:
“If the Federal Government intends to further deregulate the NNPCL by selling its shares, all it needs to do is bring Mele Kyari and his Economic Advisory Council together to achieve the purpose. Such a move can only augur well if Kyari, a strong stakeholder and initiator of ideas, innovations and strategies that eventuated in the transformation of the NNPC to NNPCL remains in the saddle and put in the vanguard of the move.”
Hassan who advised against irrational change of leadership in the oil company said: “If there is any new way that the new administration of President Tinubu would want to effect any further transformation in the NNPCL, bringing in another person at the helm of affairs other than Kyari would not augur well because it will slow down the process and hamper achievement of the purpose.
Hassan however urged Kyari to maintain his performance and achievements frequency and do better, especially now that the Economic Advisory Council is considering sale of the NNPCL shares.
