The Independent Petroleum Marketers’ Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, has faulted Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu’s letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, describing it as “diversionary and ridiculous.”
The group said the GMD of NNPC, Maikanti Baru was accused of insubordination by Kachikwu because he did not allow himself to be turned into an errand boy of the minister.
According to IPMAN, with Kachikwu’s position as chairman of NNPC board, he should have resolved any internal issue at the board meeting, “not to resort to media war”
IPMAN’s position was contained in a statement by its National Secretary, Danladi Pasali, made available to newsmen in Abuja.
The statement read in part, “We noticed some attempt to divert attention on the achievements so far recorded in the sector, with the recent letter written by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu and leaked to the media as the latest one among them.
“IPMAN considers the said letter as another attempt to divert the attention on the successes achieved and an invitation of chaos to the already sanitized sector.
“In the said letter the minister accused the NNPC management of insubordination, which we considered as very ridiculous. With his position as chairman of NNPC board, the minister should have resolved any internal issue at the board meeting, not to resort to media war.
“We are not surprised that Baru was accused of insubordination by the minister, because if the GMD has allowed himself to become an errand boy to the minister just as some of the past GMDs did, he would not have been accused of such.
“Part of the reforms that Dr Baru’s team are executing which became a nightmare to some stakeholders like the minister and some labour unions, include the efficiency in petroleum products supply, appointing technocrats into right positions and sanitizing the importation of petroleum products which stabilized fuel supply in the country within the last two years.’’
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