His death was confirmed in a press statement that was signed by NNPC’s Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Dr Kennie Obateru, on Monday, August 3, 2020.
The Group Managing Director, Mele Kyari, expressed shock over the sudden death of Dr Dawha, who was the 16th GMD of the state-owned oil giant. According to him, the NNPC family seriously mourned the death of the former GMD, who led the corporation from August 1, 2014, to August 4, 2015, during the President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.
NNPC in the press statement, said, “The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) regrets to announce the demise of its former Group Managing Director (GMD), Dr. Joseph Thlama Dawha. Dr Dawha died after a brief illness, NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Dr Kennie Obateru stated in a release today.
“The release said NNPC Group Managing Director, Mallam Mele Kyari, expressed shock over the sudden death of Dr Dawha who was the 16th Group Managing Director of the corporation,’’ the NNPC said.
Mele Kyari also noted that Dawha provided astute leadership and made immense contributions to the progress of the corporation. He described Dr. Dawha’s death as a great loss not only to NNPC but also to Nigeria as a whole.
Dawha hails from Biu in Borno State and 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 and a doctorate in Chemical Engineering in 1988.
Dawha’s death comes just about two months after death of the immediate past GMD of the NNPC, Dr Maikantu Baru, who died at a hospital in Abuja after a brief illness. Baru, who was the 18th Group Managing Director of the corporation, and was in office between July 4, 2016, to July 7, 2019.
