Barely three weeks after the Senate made the Niger Delta Regional Master Plan the highpoint of its retreat in Port Harcourt, the plan was again the focus of a workshop by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Total and other partners for sustainable development in the region. The Partnership for Sustainable Development Workshop with the theme "Working with the Master Plan" was for the Oil and Gas Industry, states of the Niger Delta region and the NDDC. It was held at the Presidential Hotel, Port Harcourt on Tuesday, 20-Nov-2007.

Total got plaudits for its host community development initiatives at the workshop which also featured a presentation on "Raising and Mobilizing Community Development Foundations for Grassroots Participation in Master Plan Implementation" by the General Manager, NDDC - EPNL Affairs, Mr. Anthony Abolarin. The General Manager, Sustainable Development, Mr. Vincent Nnadi and Mr. Chika Chinwah were also in Total's delegation to the conference.

In his welcome address, the NDDC Board Chairman, Ambassador Sam Joe Edem, described the region as the oxygen bag of Nigeria and expressed the belief that if all the stakeholders who add colour to the region work together, the image of poverty in the midst of wealth can be changed to "wealth in the midst of wealth".

"The NDDC has taken a new gigantic step forward in compliance with the Federal Government's directives and the Seven Point Agenda of Mr. President on systematic harmonization of all projects between NDDC, Oil Companies, State Governments and Local Governments." he said, giving further insight into the essence of the workshop.

In the same vein, the Managing Director of the NDDC, Mr. Timi Alaibe urged all stakeholders to look beyond the mistakes of the past and unto the future, which he said was the Master Plan and averred that no one stakeholder can achieve the objectives of the plan unless there was a synergy of efforts.

Noting that Egi land was the only community in the country that enjoys 24 hour electricity, he said one of the challenges that must be considered is how to replicate what Total had done in Egi to the whole region. Also speaking, the Special Guest of Honour and Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Premobowei Ebebi observed that the workshop was a great opportunity to reassess and get a better strategy on the development of the Niger Delta.

The photographs below complete the story.