As part of activities to mark the World Environmental Day (WED) 2020, the Gbobia Feefeelo Gokana, an Ogoni based community women group has raised alarm that the lives, livelihood and health of women and children in Ogoni is still at risk.
The alarm is coming four years after the Federal Government of Nigeria flagged off the environmental remediation of the oil polluted Ogoniland, in the Niger Delta region in June, 2016 which to date is still a stagnant process.
President of Gbobia Feefeelo Gokana, Nwindee Grace Namon, stated this during the groups ‘Tree Planting Exercise’ to mark the global environment day, 2020 at Kegbara Dere, Gokana local government area of Rivers State.
Namon stated that women in Ogoni are among those particularly affected by climate change impacts and devastation caused by extractive activities of the multinational oil companies, putting their lives, livelihood, health and that of their children at risk.
She said the Gbobia Feefeelo Gokana engage in activities within its means and power to promote a healthy environment, and is joining voices with other Civil Society Organizations and women groups to demand accountability on measures taken to ensure a clean and pollution-free environment from the International Oil Corporations (IOC’s) and the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Namon while commending the Global Green Grant Fund for supporting her groups’ initiative, thanked Kebetkache Women Development Centre for building their capacity and confidence.
In her speech, Emem Okon, Executive Director at Kebetkache Women Development Centre, in expressing her support for the group, said a total of 2000 trees will be planted in Ogoni Communities by the women in an initiative to support the remediation process of the highly polluted Ogoni environment to mark the World Environment Day, 2020.
Okon noted that there is an urgent need to fast-track the clean-process in Ogoniland to save the lives and livelihood of women and their children who are already endangered through a collective action, and taking of responsibility by all stakeholders.
Nelly Umorem, in her solidarity speech on behalf of Women Initiative for Climate Change(WICC) alerted that national effort at food security, sustainable livelihood, clean water and peace in the communities cannot be achieved without a healthy environment.
Umorem said WICC is using the occasion of the World Environment Day 2020 to demand an immediate action from the government and oil multinationals to clean-up the environment, protect the biodiversity, stop gas flaring, stop pollution of the rivers, stop destruction of mangroves and provide clean and portable water for the people.
Other dignatories that witnessed the event included Chief Keeper Gbaranor, Chairman, Transition Council of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), represented by Theophilus Mbaga, President, National Youth Council of Ogoni People (NYCOP), and Dr. Kobah Michael, Kpena Environmental and Conservation Centre, Promise Kpenu and Dr. N. Z. Legbara Principals of the Senior and Basic sections, Community Secondary School, K-Dere.
