ISLAMABAD: The Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) has invited fresh applications for the position of executive director (joint venture) following serious objection raised by the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) in the Audit Report for Year 2021-22.

According to the advertisement for hiring for the post of ED (JV), OGDCL, the requirement of qualification of ED (JV) BE or BSC Engineering in petroleum or mechanical or chemical or master’s degree (four years recognised by the HEC) in earth science or business administration or chartered accountant.

Furthermore, 18 years progressive responsible professional post-qualification experience (Article period of including for CA) in a leading company with board-based knowledge of E&P business applicable policies, rules and procedure.

Experience of handling upstream joint venture including at least seven years’ experience in senior management position would be required. Knowledge and experience of latest economic evaluation tools with good insight into petroleum economic concession portfolio management and commercial aspect of exploration would be necessary. Exposure to renewable energy sector would be added advantage.

During the audit of the OGDCL for the financial year 2021-22, it was observed that management appointed Atif Ghafoor on the post of ED (JV) on Mach 4, 2022 which required post-qualification experience of 18 years.

At the time of appointment, the candidate was having post qualification experience of 16 years five months and seven days as he passed his MBA on January 28, 2005, from the University of Edinburgh (UK). His qualification of Bachelor of Engineering was in electrical engineering which was not relevant to the required qualification as advertised. This resulted in an irregular payment of Rs11.9 million to ED (JV) on faulty appointment. The management of the OGDCL also failed to collect equivalence certificate from the HEC.

Audit report was of the view that due to negligence of the management an irregular appointment made in contradiction to HR Policy/Advertisement. The matter was reported to the management in September 2022 but no reply was received till the finalisation of the draft para. It is recommended that irregular appointment may be justified besides taking action the person to fault under intimation to audit.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022