Jonathan Sacks Yakubu, Appoints Dawha As New NNPC GMD

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday effected a major shake-up in the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), a National Oil company that has been involved in alleged financial misconduct in recent times.

The president sacked the Group Managing Director, Mr. Andrew Yakubu as well as the Managing Director of NNPC subsidiary Exploration and Production (E&P) company, the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), Mr. Victor Briggs.

Dr. Joseph Thlama Dawha who had served previously as the Group Executive Director, Exploration and Production of NNPC was appointed by Jonathan as the new GMD of NNPC while Briggs who only last March took over from Abiye Membere was replaced with Mr. Anthony Ugonna Muoneke as the new Managing Director of NPDC.

Jonathan said in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati yesterday, that the appointments and changes in the management of NNPC and NPDC will take immediate effect.

The statement also announced the appointment of Ms. Aisha Mata Abdurrahman as the Group Executive Director (GED), Commercial and Investment of NNPC as well as Dr. Attahir Yusuf as the GED Business Development of the corporation.

The new GMD, Dawha is from Borno State. He had also worked for the corporation as the Managing Director of Integrated Data Services Ltd (IDSL), a subsidiary of the NNPC.

Similarly, Muoneke who is the new Managing Director of the NPDC is from Anambra State. He had recently resigned from the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) where he served as the Executive Director, Finance and Administration.

Muoneke was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1985 and has over 29 year experience at both local and international levels in the oil and gas as well as the energy and power sectors.