Economic Hardship Worries Niger Delta Women

Economic Hardship Worries Niger Delta Women

AHEAD of this Saturday flag-off of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party PDP) Presidential campaign for the South-South zone in Port Harcourt, some Niger Delta women say the broadening economic hardship in the country is giving them some serious concern.

The women, according to AkanimoReports on Wednesday, are of the view that the Federal Government and the PDP have not been doing well, claiming that there is no respite yet for the citizenry since the change of guards at The Presidency in 2007.

But this is coming as over 5,000 women in Rivers State are mobilizing for President Goodluck Jonathan. The women also blasted some of the governors of the nine oil-producing states of Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Rivers, claiming that some of their development projects are “mere public relations” shows.

Annkio Briggs, a frontline Niger Delta activist and women leader told AkanimoReports in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on Wednesday that the women of the oil and gas region were of the view that Abuja was yet to commence real development of the country.

Nigeria, according to them, is still backward and retarded as a result of the anti-people policies of the Olusegun Obasanjo administration of 1999-2007.

Dorathy Ene Eyo, minority and gender rights activist, in her own comment claimed that the development strides being showcased by the PDP administration, bears little relation to reality.

“For us women in the Niger Delta, what has been sustainable in the oil communities since the exit of military rule is an intensely exploitive form of dependent capitalism. Socio-economic conditions have worsened drastically with the growth of transnational corporate investment”, she said.

Speaking in an obvious angry tone she added, “the legacy of the PDP domination which began with Obasanjo in 1999, is not only misery and strife occasioned by the then frequent fuel price increase, but an economic structure dominated by a network of corporations”.

Ene Eyo claimed that the economies of the 36 states of Nigeria still remain fragmented and unintegrated despite the reform policies of government.” What we have in Nigeria today is a national economy that has little to do with the economic needs of the Nigerian people”, she said.

In the mean time, over 5,000 women in Rivers are billed to storm the South-South Presidential campaign flag-off of the PDP in Port Harcourt, on Saturday.

The women rose from a meeting at the instance of the wife of Governor Chibuike Amaechi, Dame Judith, claiming that Jonathan will be accorded arousing welcome and support ahead of the April presidential election. Speaking to newsmen after the meeting, Mrs Amaechi stated that the rally would be unique because the zone is hosting the president who is also an illustrious son of the South-South region.The Governor’s wife stated that women are very enthusiastic with the South-South rally hence arrangement will be made to enable women in the rural communities to participate.

Also the leader, women wing of Rivers state chapter of PDP Madam Justina
Emeji said the women are also prepared to support Governor Amaechi whose joy in participating in the South-South Presidential Campaign four years was short lived during the k-leg saga resulting in his wrongful substitution. Emeji said the rally will signal the beginning of door to door campaign for Governor Amaechi’s re-election bid. President Jonathan will on Saturday, February 12, in Port Harcourt headquarter of the South-South region flagged up his presidential campaign for the geo-political zone.

ENDS.

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