Following the hue and cry generated in the media by the leaked letter, the Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu wrote to President Buhari detailing acts of insubordination and supposed gross illegalities committed by Mr. Maikanti Baru, the GMD of NNPC, the spokesman for the NNPC, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu yesterday released a counter statement in defence of the actions of the GMD.
A part of the statement reads thus,
“It is important to note from the outset that the law and the rules do not require a review or discussion with the Minister of State or the NNPC Board on contractual matters. What is required is the processing and approval of contracts by the NNPC Tenders Board, the President in his executive capacity or as Minister of Petroleum, or the Federal Executive Council (FEC), as the case may be.
There are therefore situations where all that is required is the approval of the NNPC Tenders Board while, in other cases, based on the threshold, the award must be submitted for presidential approval. Likewise, in some instances it is FEC approval that is required.”
From this statement, it is clear that the NNPC feels the Minister of State for Petroleum should have no say concerning some of its matters.
Hence, Parrot Reporters would like your view on your understanding of what roles a Minister of State should actually be.
Should a Minister of State be the substantive deputy for the Minister, and have the requisite power and authority needed to function fully in such a position when the actual Minister is incapacitated?
Should a GMD be more powerful than a Minister of State, as to be able to go ahead with implementing some key decisions without duly reverting to the Minister of State?
Give us your views in the comments section below