Termination of ED HR: OGDCL’s officers association steps in to back MD

Aftab Ahmed

Islamabad: As the tussle heightens between managing director and board of directors of Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (Ogdcl) over terminating Executive Director (ED) Human Resource, the company officers Association has stepped in to back the former.

National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had summoned top management of Oil and Gas Development Limited (Ogdcl) earlier to investigate questionable appointments at key posts in the company. NAB investigation had continued for two days on November 5-6.

Chairperson HR committee Sadia Khan and other board directors Saud Khawaja, Akbar Ayub Khan and managing director Dr Naseem had appeared before the NAB team. The HRC chairman and board members had argued that board had powers to amend criteria.

However, managing director Ogdcl had assured the NAB team to take corrective measures. Executive Director HR Shoaib Baig had also appeared before NAB team. NAB is also investigating his appointment. Earlier, OGDCL made appointments for the two important slots of Executive Directors (ED) Petroson and Human Resources and NAB initially started inquiry against these appointments and sought record from OGDC.

Following NAB investigation, managing director OGDCL had terminated the services of ED Human Resource Shoaib Baig. This step had upset the board members involved in appointing ED HR and board of directors had called an emergency meeting on Tuesday to undo the action of terminating ED HR. However, board was informed that this was not agenda meeting and therefore, other board members refused to discuss it.

Following reconstitution of board of directors of OGDCL by PTI government, the OGDCL is facing controversies. Appointments at key posts was a step that had led to investigation by NAB. However, some board members still want ED HR to come back to the company and however, board could not take any decision in this regard.

OGDCL Board in the year 2015 had made certain changes in the qualification criterion of ED, General Manager (GM) and Manager level positions. For the post of ED, the experience requirement was reduced from 26 years to 18 years, while for GM post the experience was changed from 24 years’ experience to 16 years of experience and for the position of manager the experience was reduced to 14 years from 20 years of experience. Following these changes by OGDCL Board, NAB got placed the names of OGDCL Board members on ECL as this Board had no authority and mandate to make such changes in the require experience for post of ED.

The incumbent ED Petroserve has worked only with service providing companies while the advertisement clearly mentioned earlier that only those candidates can apply who have 06 years experience in E&P companies at top management level position in the last advertisement.

OGDCL re-advertise post of ED Petroserve on June 30, 2019 for the said post and deleted the 6 years’ experience condition and work with E&P company at top management level position from the advertisement. The present OGDCL Board had made appointments under criteria which was under inquiry with NAB. Complete list of application received for the posts of ED (Petroson) and ED (HR) along with chart showing their qualification and experience etc have been sought.