President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Sarki Auwalu as the substantive director of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).

Femi Adesina, presidntial spokesman, announced the appointment in a statement issued on Wednesday.

Auwalu is to take over from Ahmad Shakur who was appointed acting director of the regulatory body in June following the expiration of the tenure of erstwhile director, Mordecai Ladan.

Auwalu, a chemical engineer, joined the DPR in 1998 as principal chemical engineer.

A graduate of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Adesina described Auwalu as “a driving force” of the DPR.

“The new Director is a graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and had his post-graduate studies at Bayero University, Kano, and PETRAD Norway, PetroSkill USA, among other institutions,” the statement read.

“Auwalu is Associate Member, Institute of Chemical Engineers, UK; Member, Society of Petroleum Engineers; Member, Nigerian Society of Engineers; and Council of Registered Engineers of Nigeria (COREN).”