Buhari reconstitutes Board of NLNG since 2005

President Muhammadu Buhari, July 12, reconstituted the Board of the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG), for the first time since 2005, and Bonny Gas Transport Limited (BGT), appointing King Edmund Daukoru as Chairman and President of the Board of the NLNG and BGT respectively.

Edmund Daukoru, the Amayanabo of Nembe, was former Minister of State Energy and former Secretary General of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). The current Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, served as Daukoru’s Principal Officer, during his time as Minister of State for Energy, during President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration.

King Daukoru would be taking over from Dr. Osobonye Longjohn, who was until now, the Chairman of the NLNG Board.

In a statement in Abuja, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, disclosed that Buhari also appointed four other individuals to the board of the NLNG and four others to the board of BGT.

The other appointments to the Board of the NLNG, according to Sylva, include: Engr. Henry Ikem-Obih, former Chief Operating Office, in charge of Downstream, at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC); and Dr. Rabiu Suleiman, former Group Executive Director at the NNPC, who were appointed members.

Rabiu was also former Senior Technical Adviser to former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, on Refineries, Gas & Power Infrastructure and was also chairman of the Ministerial Steering Committee (Steer Co) of the Nigerian Gas Flare Commercialisation Programme (NGFCP).

The president also appointed Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mr. Bitrus Nabasu , as members of the Board of the NLNG, based on their statutory positions.

For Bonny Gas Transport Limited (BGT) in addition to the appointment of Edmund Daukoru as President of the Board, Sylva disclosed that Buhari also appointed Doyin Akinyanju and Abdul Abba as members of the Board of the BGT, while Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mr. Bitrus Nabasu were also appointed as members.

Sylva said, “President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the reconstitution of the representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the Boards of the NLNG and BGT. You may recall that the current Board members have been on the respective Boards since 2005 and it became imperative to inject fresh ideas into the governance of the companies.

“I will like to use this opportunity to thank the Chairman and other outgoing Board members of NLNG and BGT for steering the companies to record successes, particularly the train 7 final investment decision (FID). I wish the exiting members good health abd more successes in their future endeavors.

“To the incoming members of the Board, I congratulate you on this appointment and your selection is based on your experience, integrity and expertise. I therefore, urge you to bring all these to bear in the discharge of your responsibilities in line with the agenda of the Mr. President.”