Alternative Energy for Stable Power Supply

June 13, 2009

 By Ukwe Felix Okeoghene
I thank his Excellency, the Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan for the D3 initiative, which is the fuel for this forum and medium. With many challenges facing the power system in Delta State and Nigeria, there have been calls for a better approach to the power problem much more than investing huge sums of money into the moribund Power Holding Company of Nigeria. It is sad to note that more than 8 billion naira has been injected into it during the past few years to boost the power situation. However, the expectations of the people have been cut short as a result of the ineptitude of our engineers and greed of their masters who award contracts without giving them proper attention/monitoring.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON DIASPORA APPOINTS FEMI ODERE ITS LIAISON OFFICER (USA)

Dear Delta State Diasporans: ‘Delta Diaspora Direct’ (D3), congratulates Mr. Femi Odere on his appointment by the Nigeria’s House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora, as the United States of America Liaison Officer to the House Committee on Diaspora. We hope that Mr. Odere will find D3 a very useful resource for his assignment. D3 will work with Mr. Odere at the National Level. Below is the complete Press Release.

COPING WITHOUT OIL IN DELTA

June 16, 2009

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan

By Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan

Nine months ago, the world changed. In terms of catastrophic proportion few events in human history has rivaled the collapse of the global economy; may be the Second World War or the bubonic plague (the pandemic spread by fleas and rats was thought to have reduced the global population from 450 million to 375 million in 1400; spreading from Western Europe to North Africa). I know this is an exaggeration, the economic crash has not reduced world population in such staggering proportions, but it has done incalculable damage to material prosperity of vast number of the world’s population.
As is now commonly known, the global economic crisis began in July 2007 with the loss of confidence in the securitised mortgages in the United States leading to high liquidity and injection of funds into the system by major Central Banks in US and Europe.

LEADERSHIP BEYOND OIL

June 16, 2009

Written by Sam Nda-Isaiah  
Sunday, 26 April 2009 21:44
Crude oil, also called black gold in some parlances, is a worthy commodity. It has transmuted the fortunes of nations and made some people some of the wealthiest in the world. It powers the wheels of civilisation and has even been at the root of wars between nations.
But the richest countries of the world are not the oil-producing countries. Or, putting it the other way, the oil-producing countries are not the richest countries of the world. In fact, for some oil-producing countries, notably Nigeria, the black gold has essentially been a curse. South Africa is the richest nation in Africa but it has no oil. It is richer than Nigeria, Libya, Angola and Equatorial Guinea, the main African oil-producers.

Gov. Uduaghan on the ‘Mentoring System’ Educational Programme

June 17, 2009

FOR nearly two years since he became governor, Delta State was becoming something of a model in government containment of the militants in the oil-bearing region.

Through formal and community-based structures, a good number of the militants were weaned off their illegal activities and incorporated in pursuit of one of the state government’s key pillars – Peace and Security. There was relative peace until a fortnight ago when all hell broke loose and the armed forces, in a most comprehensive onslaught so far, began serial bombardment of the strongholds of the militants in the creeks. Scores have been killed and thousands displaced. Last Thursday, Governor Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan was accompanied by military commanders, who revealed the extensive cache of arms recovered from the hideout of Tompolo, the key henchman of CAMP 5 of the militants. After the inspection of the cache, Governor Uduaghan took time off a series of scheduled security and allied meetings to share his feelings and thoughts on the military onslaught on the state. The appropriate context for his responses is the fact that he has been in the Delta State Government since the advent of the Fourth Republic in 1999 (first as Commissioner of Health, later as Secretary to the State Government and then Governor since May 29, 2007). Thus, in the two hours he spent with The Guardian’s Legal Adviser and member, Editorial Board, KINGSLEY OSADOLOR and Deputy Political Editor, ABRAHAM OGBODO, Governor Uduaghan revealed the peak and trough of his experience in the past 10 years including the bequest of his predecessor, Chief James Ibori and the delicate relationship with Chief E.K Clark and others. He also offered illuminating insights into how to strengthen and deepen Nigeria’s democracy, which is suffering from arrested development 10 years on.

HOW A SIX-YEAR OLD MET A MIRACLE IN GOVERNOR UDUAGHAN

August 9, 2009

GOVERNOR UDUAGHAN EXAMINING LITTLE JOY, IN HIS OFFICE.

No many Nigerians believe that miracles can still occur in the present day, they believed that, in spite of proliferation of churches on every nook and crannies, miracles are gone with the biblical days.
Six-year old little Joy Essi, she had no choice but to believe in miracle, hoping that her dreams of becoming like every other child would come true.
Born with a rare medical condition and a tumour grows consistently causing her head to grow disproportionately to her age and size, her days and those of her parents are marked with pains and shame.
She was forced to abandon school over a year ago following constant taunts from her peers. Her extraordinarily large cheeks and sloppy left eyes made her the butt of all crude jokes.

D3 LAUNCHING: UDUAGHAN IN NEW YORK, BLAMES NIGER DELTA CRISIS, ILLEGAL OIL BUNKERING ON FOREIGNERS

September 4, 2009

FROM LEFT, GOVERNOR EMMANUEL UDUAGHAN, FORMER US AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA, WALTER CARRINGTON AND WIFE, DR. ARESE CARRINGTON DURING THE LAUNCHING OF DELTA DIASPORA DIRECT (D3) AT THE UNITED NATIONS PLAZA IN NEW YORK.

Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan has accused foreign countries and staffers of oil companies operating in the Niger Delta area of aiding criminals’ involvement in oil bunkering in the region.
This is even as former United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Walter Carrington traces the Niger Delta problems to what he described as the failure of successive governments to use fair portion of the wealth it derive from the region to develop the area.
Governor Uduaghan and Ambassador Carrington spoke in New York at the formal launching of the Delta Diaspora Direct, D3, an initiative of the Delta State Government geared towards involving Deltans in Diaspora in the development of the state.
Governor Uduaghan said that the crisis in Niger Delta is being sustained and fanned by funds realized from foreigners who patronize illegally bunkered oil from the region.
According to the Governor all the illegal arms being used by criminals in the region are foreign made, supplied by foreign collaborators of the criminals in Niger Delta.
“The guns in the Niger Delta are not produced in Nigeria, they are produced abroad.”
He charged on the international community and other relevant bodies to investigate the destination of all bunkered crude oil from the Niger Delta region as a first step to ending oil bunkering and by extension the crisis in the region.
Governor Uduaghan also urged the National Assembly to consider the aspect of the Petroleum Bill which would provide royalties to host communities of oil companies.
According to him “if the royalties are paid and the communities are also part of the oil companies, the crisis in the area would be very minimal if not eliminated.”
The Governor however promised to leave a legacy where all the different ethnic groups are united for the common goal of an accelerated and meaningful development of Delta State where ethnic distrust is reduced to the minimum.
However, former U.S Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Carrington blamed the dearth of basic infrastructure in the Niger Delta on the failure of successive governments.
Carrington particularly took a swipe on the military for bastardising the concept of true federalism in Nigeria.
“It would seem to me clear that the underlying source of discontent in the region is the failure of successive national governments to use a fair portion of the wealth it extracts to benefit the area which produces it.”
He added “the current crisis whose origins which can be traced back to the failings of a federal system to deal with the marginalization which so many citizens of the oil producing region feel.”

Delta Diaspora Direct

About
Delta Diaspora Direct (D3) is a Delta State Government programme aimed at linking Delta Diasporan expertise with home-based talent for the accelerated development of the state.

Mission

For Deltans in Diaspora to support Governor Uduaghan's effort at socio-economic transformation of the State.

Overview

Delta Diaspora Direct (D3) is a Delta State Government sponsored initiative aimed at linking Delta Diasporan expertise with home-based talent for the accelerated development of the state. Delta State Diasporans have long yearned to make a contribution to the government’s effort at socio-economic transformation of the State. The D3 Initiative provides a definitive platform for mobilising the technical expertise, the financial resources and the web of contacts that Delta Diasporans can bring to support the development of their state. The initial areas of focus --that is the areas where the contribution of Delta Diasporans will be immediately sought -- are the Governor’s three-point programme of peace/security, human capital development and infrastructural development as well as the Agricultural, Medical care and Environmental Protection sectors. The D3 Initiative was cited as contributing to the rejuvenation of the health sector in the THISDAY (newspaper) Award given to the Governor, on January 14, 2009 in recognition of his work in improving healthcare delivery in Delta State.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Delta-Diaspora-Direct/122238567254

D3 LAUNCH IN EUROPE

D3 LAUNCH IN EUROPE: GOVERNOR EMMANUEL EWETA UDUAGHAN, GOVERNOR LED A DELEGATION OF OFFICIALS AND EMINENT DELTANS TO GENEVA, SWITZERLAND, TO LAUNCH THE EUROPEAN HUB OF THE DELTA DIASPORA DIRECT (D3) PROGRAMME ON MONDAY, APRIL 26, 2010.:

GOVERNOR EMMANUEL UDUAGHAN DELIVERING HIS KEYNOTE ADDRESS.
GOVERNOR UDUAGHAN AND LEAD SPEAKER, PROF. PHILIP EMEAGWALI, NIGERIAN-BORN WORLD ACCLAIMED-COMPUTER PROGRAMMER.
AMB. TORN YORK CHOR, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF SINGAPORE TO THE UNITED NATIONS, GENEVA, GOVERNOR UDUAGHAN, AND DR. MARTINS UHOMOIBHI, NIGERIA AMBASSADOR TO SWITZERLAND AND PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE TO THE UNITED NATIONS, GENEVA, WHO WAS CHAIRMAN OF THE E
A CROSS-SECTION OF DIPLOMATS AND GUESTS LISTEN TO A PRESENTATION WITH RAPT ATTENTION.
GOVERNOR UDUAGHAN AND PROF. G.G DARAH (MIDDLE) SHARE A POINT OF INTEREST WITH ANOTHER GUEST.
(L-R) MR. SIMON IGHOFOSE, A DELTAN DIASPORAN IN THE UK, MR. SAM OMATSEYE, CHAIRMAN, EDITORIAL BOARD OF THE NATION NEWSPAPER, MR. BERNARD OKUMAGBA, PROF. EMEAGWALI, MR. OMA DJEBAH, MR. EDDY ODIVWRI AND DR. AKARUESE.
A CROSS-SECTION OF DELTA DIASPORANS.
MR. WILLIAM IJEH, HEAD OF DELTA DIASPORANS IN SWITZERLAND, MR. DJEBAH AND DR. FRANCIS AKENAMI, GLOBAL COORDINATOR OF D3.
GOVERNOR UDUAGHAN WATCHES AS PROF. EMEAGWALI DISPLAYS A MEMORABILIA ON DELTA STATE PRESENTED TO HIM AFTER HIS CAPTIVATING ADDRESS.

How do we reverse the brain drain?

How do we reverse the brain drain?

TESTIMONIALS I read with tears in my eyes the brain drain article, Oh good lord! Gboyega I was in the car and my heart shed tears for the revelations before me. Tope Ayedun, Lagos, Nigeria I have never came across a such speech concentrated on solving the problem of Africa. Aster Sagai (born in Eritrea), London, England Your article is the most inspirational document I have ever come across my whole life. Born in Ghana, living in Minnesota I am of the view that the issues raised in this speech should form the basis of discussion and brainstorming at the next Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja, Segun Kukoyi, Lagos, Nigeria I was marvelled not about the content on its own but the way and manner the note was delivered. Adisa,Saheed Adedeji. Sir, I must say that your speech on that faithful day have enable me rediscover myself, and also reminds me that Africa has great potentials that can make Africa rise to its glory…. Sunday Isoni Truly a powerful speech that brings to reality the truth and the actual effect of brain drain …. Wallace Ngugi, Nairobi, Kenya We need more people like you to look up to and speak and advice on the way forward. Chibuzo Amaefule. Forthcoming Speech: Can offshore outsourcing reverse brain drain from Africa? Book Emeagwali for your conference. Complete booking form or Contact Booking Secretary 800-673-6737 (US/Canada) 443-850-0850 (Outside US)

Keynote speech by Philip Emeagwali at the Pan African Conference on Brain Drain, Elsah, Illinois on October 24, 2003. Bengali and German translations provided by High I.Q. for Humanity. French translation by Abdoulaye CAMARA of AfricaMaat. Thank you for the pleasant introduction as well as for inviting me to share my thoughts on turning “brain drain” into “brain gain.” For 10 million African-born emigrants, the word “home” is synonymous with the United States, Britain or other country outside of Africa. Personally, I have lived continuously in the United States for the past 30 years. My last visit to Africa was 17 years ago. On the day I left Nigeria, I felt sad because I was leaving my family behind. I believed I would return eight years later, probably marry an Igbo girl, and then spend the rest of my life in Nigeria. But 25 years ago, I fell in love with an American girl, married her three years later, and became eligible to sponsor a Green Card visa for my 35 closest relatives, including my parents and all my siblings, nieces and nephews. The story of how I brought 35 people to the United States exemplifies how 10 million skilled people have emigrated out of Africa during the past 30 years.