Banigo Advocates Women Inclusion In Extractive Industry

The  Rivers State Deputy Governor, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, has called for the inclusion of women into the extractive industry to enable them increase and secure their livelihood.

Dr. Banigo made the call while speaking at the 1st Niger Delta Women Social Forum organised by the Gender and Development Action (GDA) in partnership with National Coalition on Flaring and Oil Spills in the Niger Delta (NACGOND) at East Lake Hotel, Port Harcourt.

The deputy governor, who was represented by her Senior Special Assistant General, Barrister Inegogo Fubara, said over the years the extractive industry has been dominated by male, with women having little or no representation in an industry that their impacts directly affect women especially in areas of depletion of the natural resources and environmental conditions.

She stressed that women involvement and participation in governance and industry, will go a long way in empowering them economically as well as eliminate all forms of violence against women and the girl child.

”The benefits of women involvement in industry and governance cannot be overemphasised, and I strongly believe that if there are more women involvement in the industry, we may not be facing the magnitude of community issues which we are facing today”, Banigo asserted.

The deputy governor who advocated for the involvement of Niger Delta women in the negotiation of community agreement, royalty distribution and socio-economic development of the region, sued for a gender impact assessment to be carried out in the extractive industry.