President Muhammadu Buhari has condoled with family, friends and professional colleagues of former Group Managing Director of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr Maikanti Kachalla Baru, his spokesman, Femi Adesina said in a statement.
The President also commiserated with government and people of Bauchi State, management and staff of NNPC over the passing of the former GMD, who worked very hard to initiate reforms in virtually all departments of the corporation, bringing it up to speed with global trends and best practices.
President Buhari acknowledged Dr Baru’s contributions to ensuring stability in the oil sector in Nigeria, with a more guaranteed supply and predictable price regime that weakened unscrupulous parallel marketers, especially during festive seasons.
The President prays that the almighty God will receive the soul of the departed, grant him eternal rest, and comfort all who mourn him.
In another development, the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), says the death of Dr Maikanti Baru is a huge loss to the oil and gas sector in Nigeria.
Dr Mohammed Barkindo, Secretary-General, disclosed this in a condolence message released in Abuja on Saturday.
News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) reports that Baru died after a brief illness in Abuja as confirmed by the spokesman of NNPC, Dr Kennie Obateru.
Barkindo described Baru as a hardworking and committed person who believed in transparency and accountability.
“Dr Maikanti Baru was a good and hardworking professional whom l had absolute confidence in both as his colleague in NNPC and, later, as GMD.
“As GMD of NNPC he repositioned the Corporation and the Nigeria’s oil Industry.
“He was workaholic, cerebral, humane, godly and kind-hearted,” he said.
He prayed God almighty to grant his soul rest and expressed condolences to the family, the oil Industry and Nigeria at large.
NAN reports that Baru, 60, was at the helm of NNPC affairs from July 4, 2016 to July 7, 2019 when he retired.
He was born in July 1959 in Misau, Bauchi State, and attended Federal Government College, Jos, for his secondary education where he graduated in 1978.
He obtained his bachelor of engineering degree from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in 1982 and doctorate in Computer Aided Engineering from the University of Sussex. (NAN)