Faith Kordoo
The Niger Delta Women Alliance, said it has resolved to join the fight against environmental degradation in the region and advocate for a healthier and safer Niger Delta region.
President of the alliance, Mrs. Mary Chijioke, stated this at the inauguration/launching of the Niger Delta Women Alliance Secretariat, held at the Rivers State Ministry of Women Affairs, in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Explaining the goal of the event with the theme ‘Mobilizing and Raising Women’s Voices for Nation Building,’ Chijioke said the organization will speak to the heart of empowerment, resilience, and unity.
She said, “For too long, the challenges of the Niger Delta have been spoken about and while much has been done, there remains a vast gap between the potential we hold and the reality we experience.
“This alliance is born out of the recognition that women as mothers, leaders, entrepreneurs, and advocates are not just part of the solution. We are the solution. Our mission statement is to have a society where people of different cultures, religions, and racial beliefs in the Niger Delta can come together to speak with one voice so that we can achieve our various goals for the progress of our nation, Nigeria.
“Environmental advocacy; we also cannot forget that the Niger Delta is home to rich natural resources that have been both a blessing and a curse. As women, we have seen the effects of environmental degradation, first hand.
“Through this alliance, we will champion environmental justice. We will raise our voices to demand cleaner, safer, and more just environment sustainable living conditions for ourselves and our children.”
Speaking further, Chijioke, who is the Director of Women Affairs of the International Human Rights Protection, assured that the alliance will promote and provide empowerment opportunities amongst other forms of support for its members, as she called for support for the group.”
She added that the body will promote, protect, and advance the interest of women among other interest groups in the nation, and in the various states.
She enthused, “The Niger Delta Women’s Alliance is not just a name, it is a call to action, a platform for collaboration, and a promise to ourselves and our daughters that we will no longer be sidelined.
“Through this alliance, we will foster education, create sustainable economic opportunities, and provide support systems that allow every woman to rise. We know that to change our communities, we must empower ourselves economically.
“This alliance will work tirelessly to ensure that women gain access to resources, training, and platforms that will help us build businesses, secure lives, and livelihoods, and uplift our families. Education will be at the forefront.
“We will strive to educate the next generation of women who become leaders, not just in the Niger Delta, but in Nigeria and beyond.
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“A future beam of hope, the Niger Delta Women Alliance needs the support of everyone present here and others for a secretarial complex where our activities will be taking place for expected results in the lives of our people.
“The Niger Delta Women’s Alliance is a vision for a future where women are not just spectators, but architects of their destiny. Together we will break the chains of poverty, marginalization, and silence.”
In his remarks, the life patron of the alliance, High Chief Felix Ogbebor, pledged support to the association and charged its members to stay focused and stand for women in the Niger Delta region.
He said, “That is why I am saying today, the Niger Delta Women Alliance, you should come together. Be a pressure group. Know what you are doing. As of today if anybody calls to come and take a bag of rice, or palliative, tell them you are not taking it. What is palliative, how long will it sustain you? Tell the people, come and tell us what you have for Niger Delta women.
“We have a strong body like the Niger Delta Women Alliance, come to them, give us what you say you can give us and put it on the table, then we will let the whole world know whatever you put on the table, so that’s what I want you to stand for.
“Niger Delta women stand up for their rights through the Niger Delta Women Alliance, cooperate with the government, stand up for the right sight, know what they are doing, and don’t deviate.
“I will support this association. It’s a place where I can showcase my works. I will provide four plots of land in Rukpokwu and also provide N100 million.”
Speaking to newsmen on the sideline of the event, the chairman of the Labour Party in Rivers State, Hilda Dokubo, stated that the theme of the event is a relevant one as it identifies the gap in society and looks to address it.
Dokubo, who was one of the guest speakers at the event, urged women in the region to stand up for themselves and remain on the side of truth.
She said, “The discussion for today is on women’s role in nation-building. And for me, before you solve a problem, you must identify the problems. So we have identified the problems being gaps. Gaps of education, gaps of mentorship, gaps of cultural inhibitions, there are several gaps and then to solve these gaps, we still need education.
“To solve educational gaps, you need education. To solve political gaps, you need policies. To solve economic gaps, you need economic education and empowerment. So, the talk is on how you identify a problem when it shows up, how it shows up, and how you solve that problem.
“To women in the Niger Delta, don’t give up. Keep doing the right thing. Stand on the side of truth, boldly, state your point, and keep pushing until you get what is right done for you and society.”
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