From Douglas Blessing, Port Harcourt
Women from the Niger Delta region are demanding for climate justice, just as they have advocated for zero emission in the region.
The women in their hundreds who are mostly from the Ogoni ethnic nationality in Rivers state, made call in solidarity with the environmental justice advocates globally who are also demanding for climate Justice.
The women also natives of crude oil impacted communities in Ogoni, spoke recently, at a climate change programme organised by Lokiaka Community Development Centre, at Saakpenwa, Tai Local Government Area of the state.
Mrs Martha Agbani-Barinuazor, Executive Director of the organisation, noted that the event was in commemoration with the world demand on climate justice.
Agbani-Barinuazor said: “Today, the world over, environmental enthusiasts and lovers of justice are mobilizing and marching for environmental justice calling on World Governments at the 26th Conference of Party (COP 26)on Climate Change to implement the Paris Agreement and other outcomes of previous COPs to end the global climate crisis.
“Lokiaka Community Development Centre, was therefore doing so in solidarity and pushing for Zero Emission in Ogoni land and the Niger Delta region of Nigeria”.
She said the action was timely owing to the fact that nations are already transitioning to renewable energy and more sustainable energy, adding that Nigeria’s government still reserved 30 percent of her oil revenue derivation for new oil operations.
The Lokiaka boss said, she and participants at the programne would be culminating the day’s event with a climate justice March.
The women were lectured on the theme: “Climate Change, Zero Emissions and Oil Resumption in Ogoni”.
The lecture at the event raised salient issues that have militated against human existence, including their health, reproduction, livelihoods and culture.
Most were traced to anthropogenic actions like crude oil spills, timber logging, fetching of fire woods, bush burning and worse was artisanal refining of crude oil.
Participants were urged to be environmental justice ambassadors starting from their homes in reducing energy consumption, emissions and play advisory roles to their neighbours.
Participants who rallied the major roads of East/West and Saakpenwa – Kono Road with inscriptions on their T-shirts, after the lecture said they want drinking water in Ogoni land, climate justice and zero emission.
Meanwhile, participants at the event expressed gratitude for the lecture, said it has given them clear understanding of what climate change is, especially on what they are experiencing in their communities.
Mrs Ledi Gboro, from K-Dere community said she was going to mobilize women to increase their campaign for proper environmental cleanup.
Also, Mrs Barilugbene Baale of Kwawa community said “Now I understand why dead fishes are found on our river and why our seafoods are gone it is because of oil spill”.
