The Management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has announced the promotion and redeployment of some staff to fill key vacant positions in the corporation.

The corporation made this known in a statement by its spokesperson, Dr Kennie Obateru, in Abuja on Monday.

It stated that the appointments and redeployments were to strengthen and reposition the NNPC towards attaining global excellence and profitability.

According to the statement, Mr Garba Muhammad, has been appointed to take over from Obateru as the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division.

It added that Obateru would be retiring from service in September.

Similarly, Mr Billy Okoye was appointed as the new Group Executive Director (GED), Ventures & Business Development, while Mrs Aisha Ahmadu-Katagum was promoted to the position of the Group Executive Director, Corporate Services.

Until their new appointments, Okoye and Ahmadu-Katagum were Group General Managers, Crude Oil Marketing Division (COMD) and Supply Chain Management Division respectively at NNPC.

Also, Mr Adeyemi Adetunji, formerly Chief Operating Officer, Business & Ventures Development, becomes the Group Executive Director, Downstream.

Mr Mohammed Abdulkabir Ahmed, formerly Chief Operating Officer, Corporate Services, becomes the Group Executive Director, Gas and Power.

Obateru also stated that other Chief Operating Officer positions in the corporation were re-designated as Group Executive Directors (GEDs), to align with the rules of Company and Allied Matters Act (CAMA).

He said that this was in preparation for the new status of the corporation as a limited liability company, post-Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

The statement also noted that the repositioning saw the disengagement of Mr Yusuf Usman, former Chief Operating Officer, Gas and Power.

It also quoted the Group Managing Director of the corporation, Malam Mele Kyari, as saying that the new appointments would enable the NNPC to live up to the expectations of Nigerians and achieve its vision of becoming a world-class energy company of choice. (NAN)