– The Group Managing Director (GMD), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr Maikanti Baru is breaking new grounds

– Baru has emerged as the chairman, advisory board, Nigerian Gas Association (NGA)

The GMD of NNPC, Dr Maikanti Baru, has emerged as the chairman, advisory board, Nigerian Gas Association (NGA).

According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the board was inaugurated on Tuesday, October 17 during an Executive Gas Round-table for chief executives and directors levels of the oil and gas companies meeting in Lagos.

In his remarks, the GMD commended the NGA for its contribution to gas sector development through advocacy.

Baru emerges chairman NGA advisory board
Dr Baru is the new chairman of the NGA board. Photo credit: NNPC
Baru said that the advisory board will add to the development of the gas industry.

He said that the federal government has mandated aggressive gas policy to stimulate growth of gas sector, while assuring stakeholders of his commitment to the objectives of the board.

Mr Dada Thomas, the president of NGA stressed the importance of gas in economic development in Nigeria.

“For Nigerian economy to achieve its full potential, there must be power, to get power we need gas, to get gas, we need much needed investment to develop the gas sector.

“Without appropriate fiscal policy on gas, there can never be investments in the sector.

“We must diversify the Nigerian economy and gas has a crucial role to play, so, we must promote investment in gas sector.

“We must ensure that we pass a good petroleum industry bill that will promote and expand the industry and not shrink it,” he said.

Thomas said a situation where gas investment are made in dollars, gas is sold in dollars but invoices are raised in naira at Central Bank of Nigeria exchange rate which will reduce the invoice value, is unacceptable. (NAN)

Meanwhile, a recent media report indicates that the presidency has initiated moves to ensure that Baru is not indicted by the Senate ad hoc committee charged with investigating him for awarding contracts to the tune of $25 billion without recourse to the NNPC board of directors.

The nine-man committee chaired by Senator Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto, APC) is charged with investigating Baru over the allegations raised against him by Kachikwu.

Kachikwu’s leaked memo to President Buhari accused Baru of insubordination and keeping the NNPC board chaired by Kachikwu in the dark in the award of contracts and promotion of senior executives of NNPC.

Naij