TheCable

Maikanti Baru, outgoing group managing director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), says he is willing to do more if given the opportunity to serve the country.

Baru made the comment one week after TheCable reported that he is interested in replacing Ibe Kachikwu, minister of state for petroleum.

Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the 2019 annual lecture, Life Achievement Awards and induction of new fellows of the Nigerian Academy of Engineering, in Lagos on Thursday, Baru said service to Nigeria is a call which must be obeyed.

“Service to Nigeria is everybody’s call. Every Nigerian should be willing to serve the country when called upon to do so,” he said.

“The system that has been put in place is for a public servant to retire when he is 60 years or after 35 years in service.

“However, if it is the prerogative of President Muhammadu Buhari to invite you to do more and of course you should look at it and you should do more.

“The president graciously accepted my statutory retirement but if he says I should come and do more, I’m willing to serve.”

Born on July 7, 1959, in Jama’are, Bauchi state, Baru would retire from active service when he clocks 60 years on July 7.