…Knock PIB As Passed, For Shutting Out Women
Women groups from communities in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State have resolved to engage stakeholders in the oil industry to bring to an end the continuos gas flaring by multinational corporations operating in their communities.
The women made the resolve at the sideline of the ‘Strategy Meeting with Stakeholders on Ending Gas Flare in Eleme’ and ‘Training of Community Women on the Causes and Impact of Gas Flaring on the People’ organized by Uyom Iban Development Initiative, with the support of Global Green Grants Funds.
Mrs. Chuna Alamu and Phoebe Jack who spoke on behalf of the community women say apart from been enlightened on the negative impacts of gas flare on Eleme women and their children, they have also become aware of the cause of some untimely death in their communities.
The women drawn from Agbo-Nchia, Akpajo and Aleto communities, in blaming lack of political will as a major reason why gas is still been flared in Nigeria, say they are more poised and well equipped to confront the exclusion of Eleme women from discussion on issues that affect them. According to them, they will be organizing town hall meetings as a follow up to the knowledge acquired, and say cooperation is needed among the people if gas flaring must end in Eleme.
In her remarks, the representative of the Executive Director, UyomIban Development Initiative, Nne Umorem, said the meeting is bone out of the environmental issues and perceived injustice going on in Eleme, as well the health and socio-economic impact of gas flare on community women.
Umorem observed that despite the outcry against the re-emergence of black-soot in the State, the issue of gas flaring is no longer in social discourse, even as the governments target of ending gas flare by the year 2020 have been shifted to 2030 has necessitated the need to raise the issue and return it to the front burners.
‘The Petroleum Industry Bill as passed by the National Assembly does not address the issue of women hence, as an organization, we saw the need in trying to create more opportunity for women to participate and make favorable inputs for consideration before the harmonization of the passed bill by the joint session of the National Assembly, and assent to the bill by the President’ Umorem stated.
She lamented that the impacted health and livelihood of women is contributing to food insecurity in the community and nation, calling for the need to Amplify the women voices in Eleme and the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria.
Dr. Doutimiye Ogbofa, training facilitator at the programme, said gas flaring is a social, environmental and human rights menace that needs to be addressed critically through the joint effort of all stakeholders as it results in a huge economic loss to the nation.
Dr. Ogbofa noted that gas flaring threatens the continues existence of man and other living things in the host communities, and the training is aimed at building the capacity and empowering rural women to be able to address the issues associated with it in their communities.
