Joseph Dawha, ex-NNPC GMD, is dead

Joseph Thalama Dawha, a former group managing director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), is dead.

In a statement on Monday, Mele Kyari, NNPC GMD, said Dawha died after a brief illness.

“[The] NNPC family gravely mourns the death of the former GMD, who he noted, provided astute leadership and made immense contributions to the progress of the corporation,” Kennie Obateru, NNPC group general manager, group public affairs division, quoted Kyari as saying.

In 2014, former President Goodluck Jonathan appointed Dawha to replace Andrew Yakubu.

Before he was appointed GMD, Dawha served as the group executive director, exploration and production of the corporation.

The former GMD who hailed from Borno joined the corporation in 1988.

He was director, commercial services of Eleme Petrochemical Company Limited (now Indorama) Port Harcourt in 2003 and in 2005 he was appointed managing director of Integrated Data Services Limited, Benin.

Dawha obtained a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1977, a master’s of science in the same discipline in 1985.

He bagged a doctorate in chemical engineering in 1988.

Dawha’s death is coming about two months after Maikanti Baru, the immediate past NNPC GMD, died.