Rivers
Ogoni Clean-Up Is A Mess -MOSOP Factional Leader
A factional President of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), Mr Fegalo Nsuke, has criticised the non-involvement of communities and civil society organisations in the going implementation of the clean-up in Ogoniland.
Nsuke, who said this in a press release made available to The Tide in Port Harcourt said the entire clean-up project is a complete mess.
According to him, the non- participation of community representatives especially the non-involvement of MOSOP hurts and jeopardizes the credibility of the entire exercise and makes it vulnerable to greater corruption.
The factional MOSOP President said active community participation through the representatives of MOSOP should have built in credibility, checked and monitored the exercise for compliance and built in controls, regretting that the project which has consumed over $600million has become an instrument for political patronage.
He expressed worries that the damage already done to the exercise could not be repaired as the entire management and implementation process is skewed to impress political party loyalists and obviously designed to raise funds ahead of the 2023 elections.
Nsuke said the Ogoni clean-up was the brainchild of MOSOP and it is regrettable that it’s been messed up and ridiculed by the government. He noted that MOSOP was in the formative stages of HYPREP responsible for structuring the entire exercise and had developed the framework to provide a successful programme but unfortunately, MOSOP had been excluded from the programme leaving it at the mercy of political party loyalists and making it vulnerable to a pervasively corrupt system.
“We structured the system, from the Governing Council, to the Board of Trustees and our involvement was to checkmate the inclination for looting public funds which is obviously a Nigerian problem”, Nsuke said.
He further said “the exclusion of MOSOP from the process does not allow us to monitor what they may be doing and we are very worried that things could get even worse this time” the MOSOP President said.
“There is no way you will have such a gigantic project implemented and leave the community out of it while flooding the system with political party loyalists. What you are telling us is that they are expected to sort themselves out and raise money for the next elections just as we saw under the last dispensation”, he said.
He however noted that MOSOP will continue to strive in the best way possible to rescue the cleanup programme has been seriously compromised by internal corruption but we will continue to strive to reverse the trend and give our best to see how much we can rescue the system,” Nsuke said.
Nsuke called for a review of the present structure and operations of HYPREP to build in more transparency, increase community participation and build greater public confidence in the system noting that if transparency and community participation can be incorporated, the program can be restored and the public may begin to build some confidence in the new management and expect things to work better.
By: John Bibor
International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) in the State, has raised an alarm over the increase of incest in the State.
The Acting Chairman of FIDA in the State, Nnenna Igbokwe told newsmen that the organisation discovered this during their sensitisation programme about the VAAP Law.
Igbokwe said at least three of the incest cases are before court of competent jurisdiction.
The Acting FIDA Chairman also said that the accused especially, fathers use threat to silence cases of incest in their family.
She however, advised security agencies to do due diligence in their investigation of the incest matters.
The State Deputy Governor and foundation member of Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN), Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, has received the new MWAN’s, National President-elect, Prof. Rosemary Ogu.
The Deputy Governor received Prof Ogu in her office at Government House, Port Harcourt, and congratulated the team on the victory.
She also presented gifts to the National President-elect.
Earlier, the 22nd National President-elect of Medical Women Association of Nigeria, Prof Romary Ogu had promised to work hard to take the association to enviable heights.
In another development, the State Deputy Governor, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, has also received her 22nd MWAN Biennial Conference registration materials from Dr Vetty Agala, the President of MWAN in the State
The Tide reports that the State delegation included MWAN’s, Rivers State Founder/Initiator, Dr Bernadette Korubo, a life member of the association, Dr Nnesochi Offor who is also another life member, past President of the State, past National Treasurer and MWAN mentor 2021.
Other delegates led by the State President, Dr Vetty Agala were Dr Obelebra Adebiyi, immediate past State Chairman of Nigeria Medical Association and past President, MWAN, Rivers State, Dr Ibimonye Porbeni, the immediate past MWAN President in the State and Dr Ireju Ajie, the Secretary of MWAN in the State.
The State branch of MWAN will be hosting the 23rd biennial conference in September, 2023.
As the build up to the Krakrama Youths Association’s election gathers momentum, the Chairman of Asari-Toru Local Government Area, Hon. Onengiyeofori George, has sued for peace amongst parties.
The Tide learnt that security intelligence from the Krakrama community revealed that rancour and crisis were looming as a result of the forthcoming youth election in the community thus, if treated with levity may degenerate into a crisis situation in the community.
Sequel to the impending fracas allegedly caused by the pre-election irregularities, the Asari- Toru Local Government Area boss in line with his constitutional duty of maintaining peace and order as the Chief Security Officer in the Local Government Area has ordered for a fresh start of the process.
Speaking in a meeting with the Amanyanabo of Krakrama Community, King Iwari Gibson Bala, the CDC Chairman, Comrade Victor Membere and the outgoing Youth President of Krakrama Youth Association, Comrade Ikalaso Tomitamunoa, the Council boss ordered for the nullification of the Electoral Commitee appointed by the outgoing executives of the Krakrama Youth Association.
He further asked the Amanyanabo of Krakrama Community to liaise with the relevant stakeholders to appoint a credible, neutral and acceptable Electoral Committee that will oversee the elections.
Moreover, the Council Chairman directed that the aspirants who had purchased forms already still stand as status quo still remains.
For fairness, the new Electoral Committee to be appointed has been directed to give one week of grace to aspirants for continuous sale of forms.
By: Theresa Frederick & Wokoma Emmanuel
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