Experts in the petroleum industry have raised concerns over the recent NNPC Ltd Board reconstitution, citing a violation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021. They object to the appointment of Aminu Said Ahmed from NMDPRA as the Ministry of Petroleum’s representative, arguing he does not meet the required rank and that NMDPRA is a separate entity from the Ministry.
They are calling for the appointment to be reversed.Experts criticized the appointment of Aminu Said Ahmed, a Grade Level 14 officer from NMDPRA, to the NNPC Ltd Board, calling it a violation of the PIA 2021. They urged President Tinubu to uphold the law by appointing a Ministry of Petroleum official of at least Director level, as done with the Finance Ministry.
Experts stressed that only Ministry of Petroleum officials should represent Nigeria in international petroleum bodies like OPEC, as mandated by the PIA. They condemned the use of non-Ministry personnel for such roles, citing legal and reputational concerns.
They urged the President to reverse Aminu Said Ahmed’s board appointment and replace him with the MPR Permanent Secretary to ensure compliance and parity with the Finance Ministry.They trust that President Tinubu will act to uphold the PIA 2021’s integrity by responding to valid concerns.
