Showing posts with label Chairman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chairman. Show all posts

Saturday, May 6, 2023

OPEN LETTER IN RESPONSE TO: NDDC- WHAT WE MUST DO AND THE PRESS STATEMENT BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE GOVERNING BOARD OF NDDC

NIGER DELTA JUSTICE FORUM
No. 86 Nwaniba Road, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
Telephone: 08118054076.

To: The Presidency Abuja

       The National Assembly Abuja

       All Niger Delta Stakeholders

OPEN LETTER IN RESPONSE TO: NDDC- WHAT WE MUST DO AND THE PRESS STATEMENT BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE GOVERNING BOARD OF NDDC

We are compelled to respond to the above subject matters as patriots and stakeholders because nefarious actors are monolithic in their structure, with no option to retrace their steps or even branch off from the solidity of the inflexible trunk, the source of their implacable power. To counter them, the kernel of their malevolent frameworks must be dismantled and completely laid bare.

The most important piece of real estate to stake a claim is the human mind. You make the claim by creating a perception. You create the perception by controlling the context. Control the context and you control the mind. Control the mind and you control reality, that’s the essence of the Veblen Effect. However, social psychologists are quick to remind us that “herd mentality” or “group think” has severe limitations when subjected to critical analysis or hesitation.

It is our opinion that the decision of the Chairman of the Governing Board of NDDC to hastily distance the Board from the MOU signed by the Commission in its quest to attract private capital for the development of the region based on emotions, sentiments, sense of judgment and propriety in order to curry public appeal, on deeper introspection is ruinous and far from right. We are not fooled by the beautiful prose of hired writers, the cobbled arguments of her procured craven supporters or the eloquence of her Marxian postulations about transparency and accountability. Her ambition of naked power grab was made obvious in the sponsored Vanguard newspaper advert published before the summit in Lagos where a fictitious group made legally deficient solicitations to President Buhari to quickly amend the law and further promote her to Executive Chairmanship of the Commission with unlimited powers even at the twilight of his administration.

We have experienced the confusion and dread of watching the least qualified people get promoted even when they lack the authenticity and influence to build strong teams because they are out of touch with the needs of the citizens. The government needs to cultivate and measure leadership potentials instead of the current system where authority over others is based on who you know and not what you know. Granting promotion without assessing a person’s capacity for leadership reduces the role to a mere transaction and this seems to be at the core of the public tantrums emanating from the Commission. 

The allegations of a prevailing toxic work environment and management consideration of board members as meddlesome interlopers as contained in the Vanguard newspaper publication are not only manifestly false and frivolous but absurd and hogwash. Also, the wild allegations of illegal waivers of 3% levies granted to IOC’s and the back dating of contracts to unlawfully appropriate the Commission’s resources are the imaginations of a devious mind and patently defamatory. The prevailing sense in the region is that of satisfaction because for the very first time in a long while, the Commission has a duly constituted management team deploying its resources for common good.

The Chairman’s press statement condemning the widely hailed effort of the Commission towards transitioning to a new organization that would leverage private capital for sustainable development of the region through PPP and the subsequent signing of an MOU for preliminary processes for a rail network that would connect the nine NDDC States is both reckless and ill-conceived. Her attempt to create an imprimatur of illegality and deliberate litigation of the internal affairs of the Commission in the public space is an unprecedented embarrassment to the region and its people. No matter how cleverly disguised and presented, her grudge response is simply in furtherance of her ongoing schemes at total capture of the executive powers of the Commission not institutional bargain.

How else can any rational person explain her opposition to the transformational change and Blue-Sky thinking that led to the concept of the PPP? Is she not aware that the federal government has all but abandoned the Eastern Railway Corridor due to paucity of funds? What disadvantage would the region suffer if it secures a rail network that would connect all the states and complement the Eastern Rail Corridor if it is eventually completed? Is she not aware that the Atlanta based AGRI came recommended by the US EXIM Bank and that the US Consulate was represented at the signing ceremony? Is she ignorant of the fact that several board members were present at the event? Does she not know that the outcome of the Summit is attracting global interest to the region? What exactly are her interests? There is no rule that says her arguments must make sense but we must do away with the principalities of the past.

The Chairman seems to  be suffering from the “Peter Principle” whereof she may have been promoted beyond her level of effectiveness. The region needs leaders who will allow the collective good of the people overshadow their self-aggrandizement. In view of this critical need, we hope and pray that the chairman retraces her steps and detracts from public smear and misrepresentation.

For NDDC to make progress, there is no magic bullet. What is clear is that doing nothing is not an option nor is continuing as normal the way to go. We recommend that the Board and Management should have a Shared Vision Workshop to deliberate on workable strategies and innovative ways to attract scalable development to the region. What NDDC needs is that in exchange for the greater strategic goal of developing the region, the Board and Management must embrace peace over conflict. Instead of engaging in public fits and outbursts, the board should liaise with management to rethink job creation, retool youth unemployment thereby significantly addressing insecurity and engendering the flourish of enterprise. 

The people of the region are tired of living frustrated, anxious and overwhelmed. New habits can be formed. Fresh hope can be found in the Commission. The practice of gratitude and acknowledgment of good deeds by those who dare is the missing key to unlock the hope, joy and beauty around the region. It is not particularly helpful when we try to frustrate people with good intentions. Let good conscience prevail.


- Bassey Ime Idongesit.
Convener

Joachim Dakolo                                            Publicity Secretary.

Tuesday, December 28, 2021

Odu Obi Festival: Akokwa Comes Alive!

Odu Obi Festival: Akokwa Comes Alive

The ancient  kingdom of Akokwa will be agog today, 28 December, 2021 as Nigerians from all walks of life throng there for the epochal Odu Obi cultural festival of the kingdom's Monarch, His Royal Majesty Eze (Sir) Ikenna C Okoli (KSC) (MSI)(Okoli V.) Agbakwuruibe III. The 11th. Obi of Akokwa.

The 2021 edition of the prestigious Odu Obi festival is Eze Okoli's second since acesending the throne of his forefathers.

For the monarch, it will be a twin celebration as his second Odu Obi festival coincides with his 19th anniversary on the throne of his forefathers.

The 2021 Odu Obi festival will be graced by prominent Nigerians including His Royal Highness, Aseme-Alabo Duma Jack-Brown, KONGO XVI, Royal  Head  of the Buoye -Omuso (Brown) Royal/Major House, the paramount ruler of Finima, in Bonny local government of Rivers State, His Royal Highness, Igwe (Amb.) Lawrence Agubuzo, Chairman, Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council among other monarchs and personalities across the country.

Deserving Nigerians will be conferred with chieftaincy titles by the Akokwa monarch during the festival.

Some of these include Ingram Adiche Osigwe ( Enyi Oha Akokwa), MD/ CEO, FullPage Communications Ltd,  Dr.Pascal Chigozie, member representing Ideato North/South in the House of Representatives, Dr.( sir) Daniel Nwanneka Chukwudozie, Chairman/ CEO, Dozzy Group of companies,  Mustapha Alhaji Tahir from Mubi, Adamawa, Dr Christian Odinaka Igwe, MD/CEO, Mailand Oil & Gas Ltd.

Others are Chief Chukwudi Ofoedu, a multi-billionaira industrialist and business mogul, Dr Anayo . M Ukeje, a renowned Biochemist, Chief (Sir) Kevin Uwanuakwa ( Agujiegbe Akokwa), Sir Ifeanyi Nwosu, MD/ CEO Mustang Group of companies, Sir Emeka Ifeacho, MD/CEO, Hyde Park Properties Ltd.

To also be honoured with chieftaincy title by the Obi of Akokwa during the Odu Obi festival are Mohammed Bello Mustapha( Kogunan Katagum), Head, Overseas Scholarship Scheme, Petroleum Development Technology Fund ( PTDF), Raymond Chidiebere Nwaigwe ( Obere Agu), Chief Uche Francis Offor, MD/CEO Ufrank Investment Ltd and IL Pelican International Ltd, Chief  Austine Chuma Ozuora, MD/ CEO, Chuzen International Investment Ltd, Nonso .C Osigwe, MD/ CEO, Gommend Gold Enterprises Ltd,  AIG Dasuki Danbappa Galadanchi.

Ijele & Ikenga Akokwa and Chairman, Orange Group, Sir ( Dr) Tony Ezenna will be the chief host of the festival.

Over 10,000 guests and culture enthusiasts across the globe, including Imo state Governor, His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodinma, are expected at the cultural fiesta.



Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Political Quote of the Week



“There is enough money in the Fedeation Accounts for the state governors to pay the new minimum wage without passing the burden to the masses.”

~ Engr. Hamman A.Tukur, mni, OFR, former Chairman of the Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Allocation Commission (RMFAC), Page 4, The Guardian, Monday June 27, 2011.




Thursday, October 29, 2009

Gifts to Charity to Honor the 40th Anniversary of the Internet



29 Oct 2009 01:18 Africa/Lagos


Kevin Kimberlin, Chairman of Spencer Trask, will be featured along with Arianna Huffington and Internet creator Leonard Kleinrock at a special celebration marking the 40th year of the Internet. JOIN UCLA's celebration on October 29th online with UCLA's live feed at
http://tinyurl.com/uclaia40



Gifts to Charity to Honor the 40th Anniversary of the Internet

Spencer Trask & Co., the network of private equity investors, teams with Inlieuofagift.com for unique giving opportunity on October 29, 2009

GREENWICH, Conn., Oct. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Spencer Trask & Co., the leading private investment firm discovering and developing ideas to shape the 21st century, will join Leonard Kleinrock, the founder of the Internet, to honor the 40th anniversary of the Internet at a day long event at UCLA on October 29th, 2009.Members of the Spencer Trask network have been encouraged to make a financial gift to the charity of their choice in recognition of the impact the Internet has had on our global awareness and collaborative action. Spencer Trask has joined forces with the website Inlieuofagift.com to make a charitable donation in honor of the 40th anniversary of the Internet an easy online experience.Inlieuofagift.com offers electronic invitations with a "donate now" button associated with the charity of the party host's choice. Guests are asked to make a donation in lieu of bringing a gift. There are no fees and all donations are 100% tax deductible. Inlieuofagift.com partners with Guidestar.org and Justgive.org to offer access to 1.8 million charities, and has been featured on the Today Show and Oprah.com. Don Tapscott, the author of the bestseller Wikinomics and internationally renowned authority on the strategic impact of information technology on innovation, announced his gift to Tigweb.org in his Huffington Post entry today, "A Personal Card to the Internet. Happy 40th Birthday!". A member of the Spencer Trask & Co. network, Mr. Tapscott wrote, "I'm hopeful others will send similar presents as well." Kevin Kimberlin, Chairman of Spencer Trask & Co. and the Angel Investor who commercialized the wave division multiplexing technology that opened up the lanes of the data superhighway, will be speaking at a special event at UCLA along with Leonard Kleinrock, the recognized "Father of the Internet." Mr. Kimberlin says, "Even after 40 years, the consequences and impact of the Internet on collaboration and innovation remain limitless. I encourage all those who value the Internet to honor its 40th birthday and its founders by using the event as a reason to donate to the charity of their choice through Inlieuofagift.com."


Source: Spencer Trask & Co.

CONTACT: Mary Thigpen, Spencer Trask & Co., +1-212-326-9200,
mthigpen@spencertraskco.com, www.spencertrask.com; Jennifer Falvey, Managing
Director, Inlieuofagift.com, +1-203-966-0444, www.inlieuofagift.com


Web Site: http://www.spencertrask.com/


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