Obaje resumes as director at DPR

THE Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources has announced the appointment of Mr. Andrew Wada Obaje as substantive Director of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) with effect from April 26, 2010.
He takes over from Mr. Godwin Billy Agha, who has been redeployed to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) as Group Executive Director, Engineering and Technical Services.
Obaje was born in December 1952 and he obtained a Bachelor of Science (B.SC) Degree in Geology from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State in 1976 as well as a certificate in Development Geology from Oil and Gas Consultants International in 1983 amongst others.
He was employed into the public service in 1977 and subsequently transferred his services to NNPC in 1980 as a Senior Geologist.
He rose through the ranks to become a Chief Geologist in July 1991, a position he held till January 1995 when he became an Assistant Director in charge of Basinal Assessment and Lease Administration in the Director’s office.
Due to his exemplary performance, he was elevated to the position of a Deputy Director in 2005.
In 2009, he was appointed Head of Director’s Office with concurrent oversight over Basinal Assessment Unit, a position he held till his present appointment as Director.
Obaje has garnered over 30 years experience in the oil and gas industry with many accomplishments amongst which are the initiation of Niger-Delta wide velocity distribution studies in the late 1980’s, the initiation and management of multi-client seismic surveys in the Niger-Delta Offshore/Deep Offshore in the early1990’s, which resulted in the invigoration of exploration activities in the Niger-Delta Deep Offshore.  This initiative resulted in the discoveries of world class fields like Bonga, Erha, Agbami, Bosi etc.
He has also effectively contributed to the various international Boundary Negotiations between Nigeria and other African countries like Equitorial-Guinea, Ghana, Republic of Benin and Cameroun and has successfully conducted licensing rounds for the award of oil blocks to investors.
Obaje is from Kogi State and married with children.