Rivers State women under the aegis of the Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas (HOSTCON), women’s wing have called for the involvement of more women in oil and gas activities in the Niger Delta.
At the inauguration of HOSTCON women wing, Rivers State Chapter in Port Harcourt, the women decried the continuous neglect of women in oil and gas activities in the region.
Leader of the group, Pastor (Mrs) Gani Mercy Asuka said women constitute greater percentage of persons affected by the exploration and exploitation activities, adding that the situation has underscored the need for women to be involved and carried along in the development of oil and gas sector.
Speaking on the reason behind the formation of HOSTCON women wing , Pastor Asuka said apart from the “Aba Women Riot” of 1929 which many now consider as history, the disruption and stoppage of oil exploration and exploitation activities in Rumuekpe (1991) Ogoniland 1993 and most recently at K.Dere (2018) attests to the fact that women are key players and so should be carried along in the scheme of things for the development of the oil and gas sector.
She also said that HOSTCON Women Wing is poised to mobilize, educate and sensitise women from oil and gas host communities to be awake to their responsibilities socially, politically and economically to support fair and genuine development in their communities. This, she said, makes them catalysts of development and not sponsors and agents of economic sabotage.
Also speaking, National Chairman of Host Communities of Nigeria producing oil and gas (HOSTCON) Dr Mike Emuh, said HOSTCON was founded in 2002 as a grassroots mass movement to advocate for rights and privileges that are associated with oil and gas exploration without the use of violence.
Dr Emuh said the primary focus of the organization was to ensure that the constitutional provision of the 13 per cent oil derivation money and gas flare penalty money which is meant for the development of the oil and gas bearing communities are used for the purpose.
He saluted the courage of Rivers Women for being the first women wing of HOSTCON to be inaugurated and pledged to ensure that the women are carried along in the scheme of things.
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