Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
NIGERIA LET THERE BE LIGHT
Fellow Nigerians and Friends of Nigeria:
I am not a politician and I don’t play one on television either, but I have come to realize that nothing happens in this world without some politician having a say so. I have also come realize that you do not have to be a politician to influence policy, as long as you are politically active overtly or covertly and you lend a hand in electing the good men and women that you believe will further the political agenda of positive change for the causes you believe in
I have been given the task of leading a committee to re-elect President Jonathan, by the PDP US Chapter, under the Chairmanship of Bernard Thompson Ikegwuoha.
This is a political action committee under PDP US for Jonathan and the objective of the committee is
To build a grass roots movement of Diaspora Nigerians under the PDP umbrella so that we can successfully influence policy changes in Nigerian politics in the following areas.
1. Enacting legislation to allow Nigerians in Diaspora to vote for National, State and Local elections.
2. Keep the government focused on power generation and infrastructure development.
3. Restructure of education.
4. Restructure the Judiciary.
5. Focus on good government and fight against corruption.
6. Move towards true federalism.
As the chairman of the committee, I would like to invite every Nigerian, and friends of Nigeria to join hands with me, in order to effect the changes that are so necessary to move our country in the right direction. Therefore, under this platform we will also endorse Senators, Governors, Representatives and local government leaders that are committed to implementing our agenda
One year ago, I began planning how my company can build 4,000 megawatts of power in Nigeria. The president heard about my idea and contacted me. In less than six months, Capital Investment Group, under my leadership, has been able to persuade the Federal Government of Nigeria to allow state and local governments to generate their own electricity. This is an indication that President Jonathan is our man, because he is willing to listen to good ideas and he is passionate about changing our country for better. This is the first step in moving our country towards true federalism, where every state and local government will be able to control their own resources, their own law enforcement and not be dependent on the federal government allocation for funds. If I can achieve this feat as one person, can you imagine what we can all achieve together if we join hands demand the best for our country. There is strength in numbers.
Nigerians have been described as one of the happiest people in the world, but it is obvious that Nigerians are not happy with the state of affairs of their country.
I do not need to repeat the problems of Nigeria to Nigerians. However, If Nigerians at home cannot effect the changes necessary to move the country forward; it is incumbent on those of us in the Diaspora to lend a hand in a positive and supportive way to seek the changes that are necessary.
The quote below came from the honorable Chairman of PDP USA, Bernard Ikegwuoha
“Politics can truly be used for good; however, it needs men and women with strength of character, clarity of purpose, measure of trustworthiness, and certainly not opportunists, for it to achieve its desired goal -to improve the quality of life for the people, and better the society.”
Nigeria’s number one problem is apathy. We all like to sit on the fence, and complain about everything without making any attempt to do something about it.
That is why Nigeria, a country of 150 million people generates only 3,500 megawatts of power while the city of Los Angeles generates 7,200 megawatts of power for its 4 million residents. Yet, you don’t see Nigerians on the street every day protesting lack of electricity.
After so many years of being one of the apathetic Nigerians, I resolved a few years ago, that I have to do something rather than complain about the problems.
We do not have bad leaders in Nigeria, we have weak and apathetic citizens, who can’t even stand up for their rights and fight for what they believe in.
The so called bad leaders are counting on Nigerians apathy, that as long as they make it difficult for good people to penetrate the leadership of Nigeria, the bad eggs that are in leadership can continue to rape the country for as long as they want. That is why each and every one of us must stand up today and say, “thus far and no further, and it starts with joining our movement for change. According to Martin Luther King Jr., “all that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men and women to keep silent and do nothing.”
I came to this conclusion because it finally dawned on me that Nigeria needs my help. The same goes for every Nigerian at home or in the Diaspora.
President Kennedy once told Americans, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”
So the question is what have you done for Nigeria lately? What will you do for Nigeria soon? What can you do for Nigeria Today?
Our country is at a cross roads, and our ancestors are calling on us to right the ship. It’s been fifty years since we assumed the running of the affairs of our country, yet we have little to show for it in terms of basic necessities.
No Electricity, No Running water, No Good Roads, No Reliable educational system, lack of security, Lack of adequate health care, you name the ill, and Nigeria is plagued with it. (Please feel free to add yours) Yet we are celebrating 50 years of independence. I am not sure whether we should be rejoicing or crying?
This piece is not designed to blame anyone but myself, for failure to do anything to help Nigeria in the last 50 years. Anyone reading this who is a Nigerian should not try to blame any of the leaders past or present either. You should be blaming yourself for failure to act.
Just like William Shakespeare said in one of his epic stories, “the fault therefore is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings.” I would like to paraphrase and say, when it comes to Nigerian’s problems, that “the fault therefore, is not in our leaders that our country is ………..(you can fill in the blank) the fault is in ourselves as citizens for failing to appoint, elect or make our leaders accountable.”
Now the time has come to stand up and be counted. Imagine a Nigeria of your dream, and resolve right now to do something to achieve the Nigeria of your dream. The first step you need to take is to join some movement. You need to join a party, PDP, ACN, NPP, join something, and resolve to help elect the good leader you believe will help change Nigeria for the better.
You must realize that Nigeria will never change unless you and I seek the changes we want. We cannot effect these changes unless we are part and parcel of the policy making machinery.
According to a wise saying, “if you are not sitting at the table, you are on the menu.”
So if you want Nigeria to change, you better be part of the people making the policy, or have some influence on the people making the policy so you can steer them to the change you want.
That is the essence of this political campaign to re-elect President Jonathan and endorse other candidates that we believe are willing to implement our agenda.
Therefore, I call on all Nigerians and friends of Nigerian to join me in seeking a new dawn for Nigeria. Let us join hands and make the changes we want. Let us join hands with each other and seek basic necessities like power, water, good roads, good education, independent judiciary, true federalism, justice, unity, peace and security for all Nigerians
Let us join hands to unanimously re-elect President Jonathan because I believe he is the leader we can look up to effect the changes we need for our country.
If you believe in Nigeria, please stand up and be counted. We need your help, we need you financial support and we need your prayers.
We need to get this show on the road, and we need money. Our goal is to raise the necessary funds to help re-elect President Jonathan and other leaders that will push the New Nigeria agenda either by legislation or presidential proclamation.
If Nigeria is important to you, you must act now. Even if you no longer believe in Nigeria, you need to make sure Nigeria is there for your children. Please donate generously, and encourage your friends and family members to do the same.
Remember, if you are not part of the solution, you could be part of the problem. Please click here to be part of the solution.
Even if you cannot afford to donate, we urge you to register your support for this cause. There is strength in numbers and we value your support.
Please start your journey to the new Nigeria by sending your donation of $5 [] $10 [] $25 [] $50 [] $100 [] $250 [] $500 [] $1000 [] $2500 [] $5000 [] $10,000 [] other $_______
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
To get power for Nigerians is a task that must be done. Time to do your part... We need your help to elect good leaders.
Fellow Nigerians,
I am not a politician and I don’t play one on television either, but I have come to realize that nothing happens in this world without some politician having a say so. I have also come realize that you do not have to be a politician to influence policy, as long as you are politically active overtly or covertly and you lend a hand in electing the good men and women that you believe will further the political agenda of positive change for the causes you believe in
I have been given the task of leading a committee to re-elect President Jonathan, by the PDP US Chapter, under the Chairmanship of Bernard Thompson Ikegwuoha.
This is a political action committee under PDP US for Jonathan and the objective of the committee is:
To build a grass roots movement of Diaspora Nigerians under the PDP umbrella so that we can successfully influence policy changes in Nigerian politics in the following areas.
1. Enacting legislation to allow Nigerians in Diaspora to vote for National, State and Local elections.
2. Keep the government focused on power generation and infrastructure development.
3. Restructure of education.
4. Restructure the Judiciary.
5. Focus on good government and fight against corruption.
6. Move towards true federalism.
As the chairman of the committee, I would like to invite every Nigerian, and friends of Nigeria to join hands with me, in order to effect the changes that are so necessary to move our country in the right direction. Therefore, under this platform we will also endorse Senators, Governors, Representatives and local government leaders that are committed to implementing our agenda
One year ago, I began planning how my company can build 4,000 megawatts of power in Nigeria. The president heard about my idea and contacted me. In less than six months, Capital Investment Group, under my leadership, has been able to persuade the Federal Government of Nigeria to allow state and local governments to generate their own electricity. This is an indication that President Jonathan is our man, because he is willing to listen to good ideas and he is passionate about changing our country for better. This is the first step in moving our country towards true federalism, where every state and local government will be able to control their own resources, their own law enforcement and not be dependent on the federal government allocation for funds. If I can achieve this feat as one person, can you imagine what we can all achieve together if we join hands demand the best for our country. There is strength in numbers.
Nigerians have been described as one of the happiest people in the world, but it is obvious that Nigerians are not happy with the state of affairs of their country.
I do not need to repeat the problems of Nigeria to Nigerians. However, If Nigerians at home cannot effect the changes necessary to move the country forward; it is incumbent on those of us in the Diaspora to lend a hand in a positive and supportive way to seek the changes that are necessary.
The quote below came from the honorable Chairman of PDP USA, Bernard Ikegwuoha
“Politics can truly be used for good; however, it needs men and women with strength of character, clarity of purpose, measure of trustworthiness, and certainly not opportunists, for it to achieve its desired goal -to improve the quality of life for the people, and better the society.”
Nigeria’s number one problem is apathy. We all like to sit on the fence, and complain about everything without making any attempt to do something about it.
That is why Nigeria, a country of 150 million people generates only 3,500 megawatts of power while the city of Los Angeles generates 7,200 megawatts of power for its 4 million residents. Yet, you don’t see Nigerians on the street every day protesting lack of electricity.
After so many years of being one of the apathetic Nigerians, I resolved a few years ago, that I have to do something rather than complain about the problems.
We do not have bad leaders in Nigeria, we have weak and apathetic citizens, who can’t even stand up for their rights and fight for what they believe in.
The so called bad leaders are counting on Nigerians apathy, that as long as they make it difficult for good people to penetrate the leadership of Nigeria, the bad eggs that are in leadership can continue to rape the country for as long as they want. That is why each and every one of us must stand up today and say, “thus far and no further, and it starts with joining our movement for change. According to Martin Luther King Jr., “all that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men and women to keep silent and do nothing.”
I came to this conclusion because it finally dawned on me that Nigeria needs my help. The same goes for every Nigerian at home or in the Diaspora.
President Kennedy once told Americans, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”
So the question is what have you done for Nigeria lately? What will you do for Nigeria soon? What can you do for Nigeria Today?
Our country is at a cross roads, and our ancestors are calling on us to right the ship. It’s been fifty years since we assumed the running of the affairs of our country, yet we have little to show for it in terms of basic necessities.
No Electricity, No Running water, No Good Roads, No Reliable educational system, lack of security, Lack of adequate health care, you name the ill, and Nigeria is plagued with it. (Please feel free to add yours) Yet we are celebrating 50 years of independence. I am not sure whether we should be rejoicing or crying?
This piece is not designed to blame anyone but myself, for failure to do anything to help Nigeria in the last 50 years. Anyone reading this who is a Nigerian should not try to blame any of the leaders past or present either. You should be blaming yourself for failure to act.
Just like William Shakespeare said in one of his epic stories, “the fault therefore is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings.” I would like to paraphrase and say, when it comes to Nigerian’s problems, that “the fault therefore, is not in our leaders that our country is ………..(you can fill in the blank) the fault is in ourselves as citizens for failing to appoint, elect or make our leaders accountable.”
Now the time has come to stand up and be counted. Imagine a Nigeria of your dream, and resolve right now to do something to achieve the Nigeria of your dream. The first step you need to take is to join some movement. You need to join a party, PDP, ACN, NPP, join something, and resolve to help elect the good leader you believe will help change Nigeria for the better.
You must realize that Nigeria will never change unless you and I seek the changes we want. We cannot effect these changes unless we are part and parcel of the policy making machinery.
According to a wise saying, “if you are not sitting at the table, you are on the menu.”
So if you want Nigeria to change, you better be part of the people making the policy, or have some influence on the people making the policy so you can steer them to the change you want.
That is the essence of this political campaign to re-elect President Jonathan and endorse other candidates that we believe are willing to implement our agenda.
Therefore, I call on all Nigerians and friends of Nigerian to join me in seeking a new dawn for Nigeria. Let us join hands and make the changes we want. Let us join hands with each other and seek basic necessities like power, water, good roads, good education, independent judiciary, true federalism, justice, unity, peace and security for all Nigerians
Let us join hands to unanimously re-elect President Jonathan because I believe he is the leader we can look up to effect the changes we need for our country.
If you believe in Nigeria, please stand up and be counted. We need your help, we need you financial support and we need your prayers.
We need to get this show on the road, and we need money. Our goal is to raise the necessary funds to help re-elect President Jonathan and other leaders that will push the New Nigeria agenda either by legislation or presidential proclamation.
If Nigeria is important to you, you must act now. Even if you no longer believe in Nigeria, you need to make sure Nigeria is there for your children. Please donate generously, and encourage your friends and family members to do the same.
Remember, if you are not part of the solution, you could be part of the problem. Please click here to be part of the solution.
Even if you cannot afford to donate, we urge you to register your support for this cause. There is strength in numbers and we value your support.
Please start your journey to the new Nigeria by sending your donation of $5 [] $10 [] $25 [] $50 [] $100 [] $250 [] $500 [] $1000 [] $2500 [] $5000 [] $10,000 [] $20,000 [] $25,000 [] other $_______
I am not a politician and I don’t play one on television either, but I have come to realize that nothing happens in this world without some politician having a say so. I have also come realize that you do not have to be a politician to influence policy, as long as you are politically active overtly or covertly and you lend a hand in electing the good men and women that you believe will further the political agenda of positive change for the causes you believe in
I have been given the task of leading a committee to re-elect President Jonathan, by the PDP US Chapter, under the Chairmanship of Bernard Thompson Ikegwuoha.
This is a political action committee under PDP US for Jonathan and the objective of the committee is:
To build a grass roots movement of Diaspora Nigerians under the PDP umbrella so that we can successfully influence policy changes in Nigerian politics in the following areas.
1. Enacting legislation to allow Nigerians in Diaspora to vote for National, State and Local elections.
2. Keep the government focused on power generation and infrastructure development.
3. Restructure of education.
4. Restructure the Judiciary.
5. Focus on good government and fight against corruption.
6. Move towards true federalism.
As the chairman of the committee, I would like to invite every Nigerian, and friends of Nigeria to join hands with me, in order to effect the changes that are so necessary to move our country in the right direction. Therefore, under this platform we will also endorse Senators, Governors, Representatives and local government leaders that are committed to implementing our agenda
One year ago, I began planning how my company can build 4,000 megawatts of power in Nigeria. The president heard about my idea and contacted me. In less than six months, Capital Investment Group, under my leadership, has been able to persuade the Federal Government of Nigeria to allow state and local governments to generate their own electricity. This is an indication that President Jonathan is our man, because he is willing to listen to good ideas and he is passionate about changing our country for better. This is the first step in moving our country towards true federalism, where every state and local government will be able to control their own resources, their own law enforcement and not be dependent on the federal government allocation for funds. If I can achieve this feat as one person, can you imagine what we can all achieve together if we join hands demand the best for our country. There is strength in numbers.
Nigerians have been described as one of the happiest people in the world, but it is obvious that Nigerians are not happy with the state of affairs of their country.
I do not need to repeat the problems of Nigeria to Nigerians. However, If Nigerians at home cannot effect the changes necessary to move the country forward; it is incumbent on those of us in the Diaspora to lend a hand in a positive and supportive way to seek the changes that are necessary.
The quote below came from the honorable Chairman of PDP USA, Bernard Ikegwuoha
“Politics can truly be used for good; however, it needs men and women with strength of character, clarity of purpose, measure of trustworthiness, and certainly not opportunists, for it to achieve its desired goal -to improve the quality of life for the people, and better the society.”
Nigeria’s number one problem is apathy. We all like to sit on the fence, and complain about everything without making any attempt to do something about it.
That is why Nigeria, a country of 150 million people generates only 3,500 megawatts of power while the city of Los Angeles generates 7,200 megawatts of power for its 4 million residents. Yet, you don’t see Nigerians on the street every day protesting lack of electricity.
After so many years of being one of the apathetic Nigerians, I resolved a few years ago, that I have to do something rather than complain about the problems.
We do not have bad leaders in Nigeria, we have weak and apathetic citizens, who can’t even stand up for their rights and fight for what they believe in.
The so called bad leaders are counting on Nigerians apathy, that as long as they make it difficult for good people to penetrate the leadership of Nigeria, the bad eggs that are in leadership can continue to rape the country for as long as they want. That is why each and every one of us must stand up today and say, “thus far and no further, and it starts with joining our movement for change. According to Martin Luther King Jr., “all that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men and women to keep silent and do nothing.”
I came to this conclusion because it finally dawned on me that Nigeria needs my help. The same goes for every Nigerian at home or in the Diaspora.
President Kennedy once told Americans, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”
So the question is what have you done for Nigeria lately? What will you do for Nigeria soon? What can you do for Nigeria Today?
Our country is at a cross roads, and our ancestors are calling on us to right the ship. It’s been fifty years since we assumed the running of the affairs of our country, yet we have little to show for it in terms of basic necessities.
No Electricity, No Running water, No Good Roads, No Reliable educational system, lack of security, Lack of adequate health care, you name the ill, and Nigeria is plagued with it. (Please feel free to add yours) Yet we are celebrating 50 years of independence. I am not sure whether we should be rejoicing or crying?
This piece is not designed to blame anyone but myself, for failure to do anything to help Nigeria in the last 50 years. Anyone reading this who is a Nigerian should not try to blame any of the leaders past or present either. You should be blaming yourself for failure to act.
Just like William Shakespeare said in one of his epic stories, “the fault therefore is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings.” I would like to paraphrase and say, when it comes to Nigerian’s problems, that “the fault therefore, is not in our leaders that our country is ………..(you can fill in the blank) the fault is in ourselves as citizens for failing to appoint, elect or make our leaders accountable.”
Now the time has come to stand up and be counted. Imagine a Nigeria of your dream, and resolve right now to do something to achieve the Nigeria of your dream. The first step you need to take is to join some movement. You need to join a party, PDP, ACN, NPP, join something, and resolve to help elect the good leader you believe will help change Nigeria for the better.
You must realize that Nigeria will never change unless you and I seek the changes we want. We cannot effect these changes unless we are part and parcel of the policy making machinery.
According to a wise saying, “if you are not sitting at the table, you are on the menu.”
So if you want Nigeria to change, you better be part of the people making the policy, or have some influence on the people making the policy so you can steer them to the change you want.
That is the essence of this political campaign to re-elect President Jonathan and endorse other candidates that we believe are willing to implement our agenda.
Therefore, I call on all Nigerians and friends of Nigerian to join me in seeking a new dawn for Nigeria. Let us join hands and make the changes we want. Let us join hands with each other and seek basic necessities like power, water, good roads, good education, independent judiciary, true federalism, justice, unity, peace and security for all Nigerians
Let us join hands to unanimously re-elect President Jonathan because I believe he is the leader we can look up to effect the changes we need for our country.
If you believe in Nigeria, please stand up and be counted. We need your help, we need you financial support and we need your prayers.
We need to get this show on the road, and we need money. Our goal is to raise the necessary funds to help re-elect President Jonathan and other leaders that will push the New Nigeria agenda either by legislation or presidential proclamation.
If Nigeria is important to you, you must act now. Even if you no longer believe in Nigeria, you need to make sure Nigeria is there for your children. Please donate generously, and encourage your friends and family members to do the same.
Remember, if you are not part of the solution, you could be part of the problem. Please click here to be part of the solution.
Even if you cannot afford to donate, we urge you to register your support for this cause. There is strength in numbers and we value your support.
Please start your journey to the new Nigeria by sending your donation of $5 [] $10 [] $25 [] $50 [] $100 [] $250 [] $500 [] $1000 [] $2500 [] $5000 [] $10,000 [] $20,000 [] $25,000 [] other $_______
Monday, September 27, 2010
Nigerians Need Electricity Now
President Jonathan declared his intentions for the 2011 election on Facebook two nights ago, and will formally announce it on Saturday, September 18th. His actions have been loud and clear in terms of what he believes should be his priority for Nigeria, namely, electoral reform, electricity, and Niger Delta. I am not sure in what order those priorities are, but if I were one of his advisers, the order will be electricity, electricity, electricity.
This is my premise: once you have electricity, the other two will quickly fall into place. For example, Nigeria recently approved close to $500 million for the Independent Electoral Commission to purchase 120,000 computers and other equipment to register Nigerian voters.
Even if the computers are battery operated, the batteries may need to be recharged at some point.
The people of Niger Delta want to make progress and succeed, but they are handicapped by lack of infrastructure, specifically electricity. If everyone in Niger Delta has electricity, the problems will begin to disappear fast.
Nigeria, a country of 150 million people generates 3,500 megawatts of power while the city of Los Angeles, generates 7,200 megawatts for its 4 million residents; yet, most Nigerian leaders, except President Jonathan have been aiming for 10,000 megawatts for the last 10 years. Nigeria needs 150,000 megawatts now, and if you build it, the demand will be even more.
Nigeria’s telecommunications has grown from 500,000 lines to 70 million lines in less than 10 years, and the industry has attracted over $12 billion in private investments, according to a statement made by President Jonathan. Ten years ago, most people could have argued that Nigeria should not dream of having 70 million lines, but now we know 70 million lines is not enough. If we aim for 150,000 megawatts, the possibility exists that we can attract over $100 billion in foreign investments during the build out.
Jonathan was quoted as saying, “South Africa, a nation of some 47 million people generates about 50,000 megawatts. For Nigeria, a nation of 150 million people to realise the ambition of becoming one of the 20 largest economies in the world by the year 2020, we should be thinking of producing some 80,000 megawatts as soon as possible.”
The operative word used by the president, is “as soon as possible”, that is why complete privatisation and emergency measures are needed. Our first objective should be 24/7 power for every Nigerian household immediately, by any means necessary, regardless of vision 20/20. This is why Capital Investment Group is offering to build, finance and deliver 4,000 megawatts within the next two years. We understand the urgency of the situation.
We plan to use distributive generation to provide power across Nigeria faster than it is currently being done, by focusing on simultaneous build out in each state. It is a lot easier and faster to build 10 megawatts of power in one locality than it is to build one power plant of 1,000 megawatts. So, if each local government concentrates on building 5 to 10 megawatts, it is even possible to deliver our 4,000 megawatts in less than a year.
Eventually, Nigeria may decide to build the 1,000 or 3,000 single power plants, but right now we need power, and since the 1,000 or 3,000 megawatts plants take at least 3-4 years to deliver, we must explore the fastest alternative now, while we plan long term mega plants. Let us generate power now for our people and give them the opportunity to build and manage the plants themselves.
The recommendation of the President’s task force may be on the right track, but it needs to go further. It is okay for the federal government to have some say in transmission, but having one entity control all transmission throughout the country is courting the same disaster that has plagued us for the last 30 years. Every state and every locality must be given the opportunity to generate their own power by law.
Transmission should be split up among three or four groups of independent public utility commissions that are governed by specific laws. The members of the commission may be appointed by the president or the state governor, but neither the president nor the state governor should have the ability to fire members of the commission, so that they would be able to discharge their duties faithfully without the fear of termination or the desire to favour any government policy that may be detrimental to the stability of the industry.
To achieve stability and succeed with the privatisation initiative, Nigeria needs to attract investors, especially foreign ones. How do you attract foreign investors when your country has just been declared the “13th worst country to operate business”?
So Nigerian leaders need to ask themselves, what can I do today to make my country more stable. Is zoning more important or political stability?
Time is of the essence, and the rest of the world is moving on; therefore, I say to Nigerians, make your voices heard, and force the government to listen to you.
Don’t just pray for electricity, demand it. Don’t just pray for good leaders, help elect some. Join our movement by logging on to “Nigeria let there be light.”
Send us an email if you want to make a contribution or have ideas on how we can deliver power faster. We need you and Nigeria needs you.
Let’s go.
This is my premise: once you have electricity, the other two will quickly fall into place. For example, Nigeria recently approved close to $500 million for the Independent Electoral Commission to purchase 120,000 computers and other equipment to register Nigerian voters.
Even if the computers are battery operated, the batteries may need to be recharged at some point.
The people of Niger Delta want to make progress and succeed, but they are handicapped by lack of infrastructure, specifically electricity. If everyone in Niger Delta has electricity, the problems will begin to disappear fast.
Nigeria, a country of 150 million people generates 3,500 megawatts of power while the city of Los Angeles, generates 7,200 megawatts for its 4 million residents; yet, most Nigerian leaders, except President Jonathan have been aiming for 10,000 megawatts for the last 10 years. Nigeria needs 150,000 megawatts now, and if you build it, the demand will be even more.
Nigeria’s telecommunications has grown from 500,000 lines to 70 million lines in less than 10 years, and the industry has attracted over $12 billion in private investments, according to a statement made by President Jonathan. Ten years ago, most people could have argued that Nigeria should not dream of having 70 million lines, but now we know 70 million lines is not enough. If we aim for 150,000 megawatts, the possibility exists that we can attract over $100 billion in foreign investments during the build out.
Jonathan was quoted as saying, “South Africa, a nation of some 47 million people generates about 50,000 megawatts. For Nigeria, a nation of 150 million people to realise the ambition of becoming one of the 20 largest economies in the world by the year 2020, we should be thinking of producing some 80,000 megawatts as soon as possible.”
The operative word used by the president, is “as soon as possible”, that is why complete privatisation and emergency measures are needed. Our first objective should be 24/7 power for every Nigerian household immediately, by any means necessary, regardless of vision 20/20. This is why Capital Investment Group is offering to build, finance and deliver 4,000 megawatts within the next two years. We understand the urgency of the situation.
We plan to use distributive generation to provide power across Nigeria faster than it is currently being done, by focusing on simultaneous build out in each state. It is a lot easier and faster to build 10 megawatts of power in one locality than it is to build one power plant of 1,000 megawatts. So, if each local government concentrates on building 5 to 10 megawatts, it is even possible to deliver our 4,000 megawatts in less than a year.
Eventually, Nigeria may decide to build the 1,000 or 3,000 single power plants, but right now we need power, and since the 1,000 or 3,000 megawatts plants take at least 3-4 years to deliver, we must explore the fastest alternative now, while we plan long term mega plants. Let us generate power now for our people and give them the opportunity to build and manage the plants themselves.
The recommendation of the President’s task force may be on the right track, but it needs to go further. It is okay for the federal government to have some say in transmission, but having one entity control all transmission throughout the country is courting the same disaster that has plagued us for the last 30 years. Every state and every locality must be given the opportunity to generate their own power by law.
Transmission should be split up among three or four groups of independent public utility commissions that are governed by specific laws. The members of the commission may be appointed by the president or the state governor, but neither the president nor the state governor should have the ability to fire members of the commission, so that they would be able to discharge their duties faithfully without the fear of termination or the desire to favour any government policy that may be detrimental to the stability of the industry.
To achieve stability and succeed with the privatisation initiative, Nigeria needs to attract investors, especially foreign ones. How do you attract foreign investors when your country has just been declared the “13th worst country to operate business”?
So Nigerian leaders need to ask themselves, what can I do today to make my country more stable. Is zoning more important or political stability?
Time is of the essence, and the rest of the world is moving on; therefore, I say to Nigerians, make your voices heard, and force the government to listen to you.
Don’t just pray for electricity, demand it. Don’t just pray for good leaders, help elect some. Join our movement by logging on to “Nigeria let there be light.”
Send us an email if you want to make a contribution or have ideas on how we can deliver power faster. We need you and Nigeria needs you.
Let’s go.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
President Obama's Dream Is Nigeria's Nightmare By Toyin Dawodu
President Obama's Dream Is Nigeria's Nightmare By Toyin Dawodu
When the U.S housing market collapsed in 2007, little did anyone, including leading economists, market makers, and legislators know that it would lead to the collapse of the world economy. Today, the U.S remains a struggling economy with massive unemployment, up to 15% in some states and close to 25% for minorities in other states.
No one can accuse the U.S. of being a one horse economy. The housing industry was just one of the thousands of industries that make up the American economy. Yet its collapse created economic tsunamis across the world, and most countries affected, including the U.S have yet to recover.
One of president Obama's dreams is to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil. In fact this dream is also shared by most Americans, and it has nothing to do with Nigeria’s future except that if it comes true, it would become Nigeria’s nightmare.
With the whole world clamoring for green energy, the consequences for a country like Nigeria where 95% of its foreign earnings comes from oil and 65% of government spending is from oil revenue is very scary.
Nigeria’s new president touched on this dilemma recently on his Facebook page where he wrote of, “moving the economy away from dependence on foreign oil to a more sustainable sources of income as agriculture and its allied industries.” Leaders like former EFCC chairman Malam Nuhu Ribadu and other Governors like Lagos state’s Babatunde Fashola have also mentioned on the dangers of over dependence on oil.
Nigeria can truly be described as a one horse economy. Even with Nigeria’s sole dependence on oil revenue for income, the danger of such dependency is not apparent to the people of Nigeria and its leaders, and where it is apparent, there does not seem to be the urgency to address it.
Even the Chinese are investing in electric cars to hedge their bets against future dependence on imported oil. The China National offshore Oil Corporation is a major investor in Coda automotive, a California company that plans to deliver 100 miles between charges car later this year. By 2050, over 40% of cars on the road could be electric.
Companies like Coda automotive wants to do away with gas electric hybrid altogether.
Last week, an electric car dealership, named Zap opened in my backyard, at the Riverside auto center in California. Since California is a trail blazer, I can see hundreds or even thousands of dealers opening shops in the next 10 years.
According to a fortune magazine article of March 2010, “The U.S. Government’s mandate for renewable energy is 36 billion gallons of biofuel in U.S fuel supply, up from 12 billion today. The U.S government is also in the process of guaranteeing $4 billion to build the longest ethanol pipe line in the world stretching for 1800 miles across seven states carrying 240,000 barrels of ethanol per day linking refineries and corn fields in the Midwest to fuel consuming markets in the east coast.”
“The Obama government has also announced an $8billion loan guaranty to Georgia utility Southern Company to build two large nuclear reactors.” According to Fortune magazine, America has been searching for energy independence for almost 40 years.
With R&D and massive government and private investments, the U.S has found ways to access previously inaccessible amounts of natural gas that is cleaner than coal and oil that can make the country more self reliant.
With its massive oil sands, Canada could be supplying up to 6million barrels of crude to the US within a year. Even if Obama’s dream is delayed, countries like Canada could easily replace Nigeria’s oil exports to the U.S within a few years.
Can America afford energy revolution? As a Nigerian American, living in America, I am caught between the rock and a hard place. Reducing foreign dependence oil is a priority to me also because I am tired of paying $3.50 per gallon to fill my gas tank. However, if the U.S. succeeds in reducing its dependence on foreign oil, countries like Nigerian will be brought to their knees very fast because they depend on oil exports to America for almost 95% of their foreign exchange earnings.
Should Nigerians include in their prayers that Obama fails in his dream of reducing American dependency on foreign oil. If Obama were to succeed, Nigeria will be in a world of hurt, because Nigeria ships over 1 million barrels of oil to the U.S. daily.
President Obama's campaign promise to Americans was to wean them off their dependence on foreign oil. Nigeria is the 4th largest oil exporter to the U.S. So if The U.S. Stops importing Nigeria's number source of revenue, what will happen to the Nigerian people? Are the Nigerian leaders prepared for this eventuality? Are the Nigerian leaders even planning for this eventuality? To say that the U.S. is seeking oil independence is an understatement.
The U.S. has been seeking energy independence for over four decades. Every successive U.S. Government has at one time or the other nursed the idea of making the U.S. Energy independent. The U.S. has a reason to want energy independence. After all, every war that the American people have been involved with in the last 40 years probably had something to do with oil. In the last 8 years, American has been bogged down in Iraq and Afghanistan where over $1trillion of American tax payer’s money has been spent under the pretence of containing terrorism, but if you ask the average Americans, they will tell you that we are in Iraq because of oil.
America's bases and thousands of soldiers stationed around the world are not unconnected with securing a steady oil supply for the insatiable appetite of the American consumer for oil. Even though the U. S. has only 4% of the world population, we consume 25% of world oil supply.
As Americans, we allow our leaders to dream, after all, President Kennedy once dreamed about the U.S. going to the moon, and when he set the goal for the U.S. to put an American on the moon, most observers may have labeled his goal a dream. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once had a dream that one day a little white girl will hold hands with a black girl, in other words, America will be fully integrated. Today we have a Black President. So, as far as the Obama's administration is concerned, energy independence for Americans may not remain a dream for too long. In addition to massive government investment in renewable energy, the private sector has pumped billions into R. &D which has led to trillions of previously inaccessible sources of domestic natural gas for the U.S.
In an article written by Phillip Emeagwalli the eminent Nigerian who has been "extolled" as "one of the great minds of the information age, he said, "Africa must produce or perish" He was imagining a world without oil and what the consequences might be. What about a world where oil is no longer relevant and there are alternatives for the Nigerian oil? For example, if the world were to suddenly produce more automobiles that run on batteries, more nuclear power is built to produce electricity, and every house hold in the U.S. converts to natural gas instead of oil to heat their homes. Under this scenario, the U.S. begins to reduce its dependence on Nigeria's oil and in five years, or 60 months, Nigeria's revenue from oil goes from $200 billion a year to $150, $100, and $20billion. Is Nigeria ready for a life without oil revenue?
Even though Nigerians may not believe that this could happen, but please don't discount the American dream. President Obama’s dream is the American dream and it is alive and well. It is this writer's dream as an American, but also as a Nigerian, I don't want it to be Nigeria's nightmare. As an American, I worry about my country that is dependent on foreign oil and as a Nigerian, I fear for my county that is dependent on oil as its main source of income. So if President Obama’s dream becomes a reality, it is our job to make sure it does not turn into a nightmare for Nigeria. In my next piece, I will discuss several ways that Nigeria can accelerate and diversify its revenue base.
Toyin Dawodu is the Managing Partner of Capital Investment Group, a California based Diversified Investment Company focused on infrastructure development in Africa. Email:toyin@capvestgroup.com
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
How Africa Can Help To Solve US Unemployment Problems
The U.S economy lost another 125,000 non-farm jobs in June. Unemployment figures are slightly below 10%. This translates to between 26 million to 30 million able-bodied Americans that are seriously looking for work. The Obama stimulus will be running out later this year, and congress does not seem in any mood to renew it. It seems to me that we are stumped on what to do to resolve this stubborn unemployment problem.
Some advocates like Paul Krugman, New York Times columnist and Nobel prize winner thinks we need more stimulus or else, “we may enter a period of deflation and chronic unemployment where the new unemployment norm is around 8%,”. I think the new norm may actually be more like 9-9.5%.
The Obama administration launched its export initiative in March to double U.S. exports over the next five years. This is where Africa can come to the US rescue in terms of exports.
Domestic consumption may not solve the U.S. unemployment problem this time because the American consumer has now discovered that they need to save.
Our traditional export markets like Europe and Asia may not be enough either. That leaves us with creating capacities in African countries where the market exists to absorb American exports for the next 50 years, just like Europe did for the last 50.
The United States built Europe, we Japan and Korea. U.S exports several billion dollars worth of products to these countries, while exports to Africa are very small.
If the U.S. had not made the effort to build, nurture, and support those three economic powers after the war, it is unlikely we could look up to them to absorb the amount of exports they absorb from our economy.
That is exactly why the U.S. needs to help build the African economy.
Africa is the new frontier in consumption growth over the next 50 years. The population will exceed 1 billion people, and the economy will be over $1trillion strong. According to the author of Africa Rising, “50-150 million Africans are classified as economic elites with spending power similar to our working class citizens in the west” “There are 350-500 million people in the African aspiration classes from households with stable jobs” These consumers will demand the same products that American consumers demanded over the last 50 years, like housing, appliances, automobiles, and infrastructures. The question is how do we merge our needs with the African consumer for mutual benefits?
According to a Washington Post article, “Why U.S. needs Africa, “ the author, Paul Kagame, stated, “The United States has committed less to African markets than the emerging economies of Asia have; China guarantees nearly 30 times more in loans for investment in Africa than the United States does. Africa’s needs are so great that there is ample room for both U.S. and Chinese investment. Increased U.S. investment in Africa would translate into more opportunities for U.S. companies, with high potential for profit flowing back to the U.S. economy.”
For example, Nigeria has a population of 150 million, projected to grow to 300 in the next thirty years. Currently, Nigeria generates less than 5,000 megawatts of electricity. Nigeria needs a minimum of 100,000 megawatts. The US has the manpower and equipment to build both the power plants and the grids to power Nigeria. At the rate of $1million per mega watt, the US can line up an export market of $100 billion immediately by helping Nigerians to find a solution to their power problem over the next ten years. This will create thousands of jobs both in the US and Nigeria. With a stable power supply, the Nigerian economy can grow at a minimum rate of 8-12% per year. This will lead to a middle class that will demand more American products. According to the Nigerian minister of Agriculture, Nigeria needs a minimum of 2 million agricultural tractors. Nigeria also needs to build a minimum of 2 million homes per year for the next 30 years to accommodate their citizens. Therefore, if a company like John Deer were to establish an assembly plant in Nigeria, all the engines will come from the U.S. Jobs will be created in both countries. We can extend this process over several industries and create tax incentives for companies that can create a minimum of 10 new jobs that depends on a partnership that creates jobs in both countries where the goods are partly assembled in Nigeria and the raw materials comes from the U.S.
Every consumer and industrial product is in short supply in Nigeria, and by extension Africa. According to the Wall Street Journal article, David Rubenstein, co-founder and managing director of Carlyle Group, stated that “he expects economic growth in Africa to outpace every other region over the next decade.”
So rather than rely on the same old trade partners, congress and the Obama administration needs to work together and create tax incentives that can open new export markets in the fast growing and emerging African market.
Toyin Dawodu is the Managing partner of Capital Investment Group, a California based Diversified Investment Company focused on Infrastructure development in Africa.
Email: Toyin@capvestgroup.com
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
SMS by texting follow PresidentGEJ on Twitter
Mr. Oronto Douglas, please enjoy a safe flight home. I am looking forward to the President's acknowledgment of his new Twitter page as a great opportunity to further engage the youths of Nigeria.
Mr. President I thank you for providing this chance to allow Nigerians to stand ready, willing and able to help provide critical services. Each and every Nigerian with an innovative idea must be encouraged http://twitter.com/NigeriaOurHome .
Get updates via SMS by texting follow PresidentGEJ to 40404 http://twitter.com/PresidentGEJ
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
