EXPOSED: NNPCL BOSS RECRUITS CHILDREN OF BUHARI'S AIDES ..... Test Of Tinubu's Political Will

Bola Ahmed Tinubu
Nigeria's 16th President.

“Over 200 people were secretly recruited here in NNPC to the position of Deputy Manager and Manager without following due process." Sahara reporter.

"The exercise was lopsided in favour of certain sections of the country contrary to the provisions of the federal character.

"The recruitments have drawn widespread condemnations from the staff of the agency who alleged that the newly recruited persons were positioned over them."

"Based on specific skill needs, the company employed a few people (about 20). NNPC did not employ 200." Garba Deen Muhammad, Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC.

.

With the inauguration and assumption of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Presidency, there are calls for the 16th President of Nigeria to exercise strong political will in the way and manner he addresses some very key and identifiable shortcomings that would create challenges for his administration, if not quickly and proactively resolved.

One of these is the secret recruitment of some new employees without recourse to extant guidelines in the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPCL) Limited that will create negative consequences for the new government.

According to SaharaReporter, the new recruits were more than 200 in an exercise that was carried out between January and February 2023 by the Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari in contravention of the due process for conducting recruitments into Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as established by the Nigerian Government.

It was gathered that those who benefited from the secretive process included children of personal aides and ministers of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Other beneficiaries of the crooked process were family members of senior government officials, lawmakers, serving and past governors.

Topping the list are the children and relatives of the Personal Assistant on Domestic Affairs to Ex-President Buhari, Sarki Abba.

According to SaharaReporters, it was learnt that the exercise was lopsided in favour of certain sections of the country contrary to the provisions of the federal character.

The recruitments have drawn widespread condemnations from the staff of the agency who alleged that the newly recruited persons were positioned over them.

“Over 200 people were secretly recruited here in NNPC to the position of Deputy Manager and Manager without following due process.

“The Group CEO of NNPC, Mele Kyari secretly recruited these people who are children of top politicians in the past administration without following the laid down rules which is against the public service act.

“Kyari unilaterally handed employment letters to these individuals without any competency aptitude test or interview, they are all children of top politicians of the Buhari’s administration and children of friends and family members.

“If you recall that the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIA) was passed into law for more transparency and accountability in NNPC but the reverse is the case, the PIA has given the group CEO enormous powers that he now runs NNPC as his personal company without recourse to any law, because as it stands now, nobody is checking him and he does whatever he likes.

“A lot of my colleagues from SS4 to SS1 were denied promotion by Kyari, only for him to recruit inexperienced people as Deputy Manager and Manager at the detriment of experienced hands, this is quite unfortunate. Many staff members of NNPC are not happy with the way the company is being managed by Kyari.

“So, we are calling on President Bola Tinubu and relevant authorities to revoke the appointment letters and due process should be followed,” an employee of NNPC revealed.

Garba Deen Muhammad, Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC confirmed the secret recruitment process, adding however that only a few people were employed.

Muhammad told SaharaReporters that; “As a CAMA company we conduct our activities based on business needs and we are not obliged to follow dictates other than what serves our business needs and in accordance with our vision, mission and values.

“Thus, as a matter of exigency, NNPC resorted to headhunting. Based on specific skill needs, the company employed a few people (about 20). NNPC did not employ 200 as you mentioned,” he said.

According to a source, the officials made the move over the fear of being retired compulsorily by the new government of Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“Isn’t this corruption? Our Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari and the Chief Financial Officer, Umar Ajiya paid themselves gratuity running into billions of naira while still in active service which is against the public service rules,” another source said.

“With the Petroleum Industry Act that was passed by the National Assembly, NNPC transited into a limited liability company with share capital for more transparency and accountability and to be a profit-driven organization. But unfortunately, under Kyari and Ajiya, the reverse is the case.

“The fear that they may be sacked or asked to go on retirement suddenly made these two individuals to pay themselves humongous gratuity while still in active service.

“They are both running NNPC as their personal company because nobody is checkmating them.”

But Garbadeen Muhammad denied the allegations, saying they were paid for their services to “NNPC and not NNPCL.”