Mele Kyari, group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), has bagged the “The Sun Man of The Year Award”, the biggest recognition by The Sun Publishing Company Ltd, publishers of The Sun Newspaper titles.
This was announced in a statement issued by Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of NNPC, Garba Deen Muhammad, on Sunday.
According to the statement, Kyari received the award in a ceremony attended by eminent Nigerians at the Eko Hotel & Suites, Lagos on Saturday.
Dignitaries present at the event include the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe; Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu; Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki; Former Abia State Governor Orji Uzor Kalu; captains of industries and seasoned public servants.
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Speaking on the award, the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of The Sun Publishing Newspapers Ltd, Mr. Onuoha Ukeh said Mr. Mele Kyari was honoured for his doggedness and resilience in the way he managed the operations of the NNPC during the COVID-19 pandemic last year, which saw the economies of many countries across the word struggling for survival.
Explaining further, Ukeh said: “Take Mele Kyari and dissect. In addition to the record breaking N287bn profits posted for 2020, the best since inception 44 years, the NNPC which he heads published the Audited Financial Statements (AFS). It was trailblazing and a whiff of good fortune in a beleaguered entity and time.”
In his response, the GMD/CEO NNPC stated that the NNPC remains ever committed to conducting its operations with transparency and accountability.
He attributed the successes recorded by the Management Team of the NNPC to the freehand and support accorded him by Mr. President who has never interfered in the affairs of the NNPC.
“What we have done in recent years is to ensure that we take out all the opaqueness in NNPC. We also ensured that we represent Nigerians and work for them,” the GMD/CEO added.
While thanking the publishers of the newspaper for finding him worthy of the award, Kyari described the honour as a huge responsibility and a privilege which will spur him to do more for the benefit of the over 200 million Nigerians.
Mallam Kyari was accompanied to the event by some members of his Management Team namely; the Group Executive Director (GED) Finance & Accounts, Mr. Umar Ajiya; GED Upstream, Engr. Adokiye Tombomieye; GED Gas & Power, Mr. Mohammed Ahmed; GED Ventures & Business Development, Sir Billy Okoye; Group General Manager, National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), Mr. Bala Wunti; MD, Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), Mohammed Ali-Zara and MD, Integrated Data Services Ltd (IDSL), Mr. Marcel Amu.
