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… As King Baridam, Bangha Monarch, Laments ‘Pace of Clean Up’
By Ukandi Christopher
The Queen of Ogoniland, Georgina Tenalo, has called on the Federal Government to make the inclusiveness for women in the affairs of Ogoniland a national policy, adding that it is an international standard that must be observed if excellence is to be achieved.
Queen Tenalo who is a lawyer, former commissioner, Women leader and the regent of Ogoniland made the call while speaking at a one day stakeholders roundtable meeting on Ogoni clean-up which held on Saturday at Nortem Hall, Bori, Rivers State.
According to her, women and the environment cannot be separated from gender issues and any remediation of the environment such as ogoni clean-up must be that which account for the well-being of women.
The Queen averred that inclusivity must start from the establishment of a research based center for gender studies. “Everywhere that the environment goes bad, women suffer, where the environment is deforested, women who live on the land by cutting firewood to subsist are affected; in the era of global warming and climate change, women should be involved as pioneers in restoring the globe because the environment affect their lives,” she said.
Paramount ruler of Bangha Kingdom, His Majesty Baridam Suanu, addressing the gathering stated that the Ogoni clean up is important to the people and as such should address their felt need. “If you are talking about the cleaning of the environment, you have to also talk about the betterment of the people and how the life of the people can be made better.“
The paramount ruler noted that even if the Project Co-ordinator says things are going well with the clean up, from his assessment, things are not going well with the exercise. The natural ruler’s grouse with the clean up exercise is that the project co-ordinator runs to Abuja for approval of everything that is to be done in Ogoni. “This policy must change for things to work well with the clean up exercise. Why would a man based in Ogoni handling a task like Ogoni clean up be going to Abuja for every approval before he acts? It is not acceptable,” he stated
The paramount ruler also questioned the role of HYPREP in the development of the youths. “For every job that have been given out, each have people that the job has been given to in Abuja. This is not acceptable to us as Ogoni people. the number of army providing security in Ogoni are too many. The government have empowered the youths with the engagement of 500 youths as security personnel. This is not enough. We call on the government to reduce the number of army and increase the number of youths engaged, this will be more effective than the army. Ogoni is not at War,” he added.
Baridem revealed that HYPREP is running on a deficit budget and as such, the aim of the body in achieving its set goals are defeated without a sustainable budget plan in place. “I am aware that if the approved budget of HYPREP is released, we will run a credit balance in HYPREP. We must tell ourselves the truth. The organizations that are supposed to pay their counterpart funding are not paying their dues, how do we fund the clean up? He asked.
The convener of the stakeholders round table meeting, Senior Special Assistant to the President, Hon. Gift Johnbull said the focus of the meeting was on inclusion as mandated by President Ahmed Bola Tinubua, a call to action, a platform to exchange opinions and dialogues. “We are leaving no one behind.” She told the people of Ogoniland.
The stakeholders roundtable meeting included cultural displays, panel discusses and no one from the floor was allowed to ask a question except the Queen of Ogoniland who insisted she must say a word.
