MOVEMENT for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) has vowed to enforce the United Nations Declaration on rights of the indigenous people of Ogoni land.
The pledge was made in a message by MOSOP President/Spokesman, Dr. Goodluck Diigbo, during a thanksgiving service held Sunday at Teyork, for elected officers to enforce the declaration in Ogoni villages.
He told attendees at the service organized by the Ogoni Council of Churches to mark the success of the Ogoni community model elections: “Ogoni Central Indigenous Authority (OCIA) must break with the culture of corruption and public deception that are the hallmarks of Nigerian politicians.”
Associate Editor of MOSOP Media, Mr. Tambari Deekor, in a statement this morning, quoted Diigbo as saying, “Ogoni is poised to enforce UNDRIP and the Ogoni people expect to see a significant track record, responsive grassroots leadership, accountability and capacity to implement programmes to address the needs of Ogoni villagers.”
To this end, he revealed an action plan that will kick off next Tuesday with a national conference to groom newly elected representatives on how to enforce the right.
He said the conference that was originally scheduled for Sunday, July 22, was postponed in order to include all Ogonis as participants, adding that it will feature workshops, roundtables and dialogue on economic, social, political and security issues as well as traditional displays.
“Over 2,500 leaders have been elected to enforce the rights of indigenous peoples at the village level, while 120 representatives secured mandate to run 33 newly
Initial checks by our reporter indicated that the tankers were set ablaze by the Joint Task Force, ‘Operation Pulo Shield’, which has so far destroyed over 10 tankers in the last one week.
However, the Task Force’s spokesperson, Captain Sunday Samuel, who was contacted, said he had no such report of a military operation by its troops.
A source, who telephoned from the scene at about 9am this morning, said the fire had started before she got there. She said: “Two tankers currently on fire at the Eleme Road, close to Eleme Petrochemicals. There are no fire fighters, no law
enforcement at the scene.”
Favour Kejeh said she was caught in the middle of the huge smoke, adding that “there was so much commotion. People started jumping out of the bus. Several persons were wounded.”
Incident has left some residents wondering what could be behind the incessant fire outbreaks.
This morning’s incident is coming barely three days after the governor’s wife, Dame Judith Amaechi led wives of elected and appointed public office holders in Rivers State on a special prayer session at the Government House, Port Harcourt, to seek God’s intervention in averting further fire disasters.
The prayer was held hours after fire gutted a barge and tug boat at the Abuloma Jetty as well as the Tide Newspaper officer at Mile 1, Diobu, and Rhythm FM in Port Harcourt. The Port Harcourt fire disasters occurred in the wake of the horrific petrol tanker fire at Okogbe community.
At the prayer session, the governor’s wife charged wives of chairmen of local government councils in the state to replicate such prayers at their various councils.
She said July 12 petrol tanker fire, which claimed more lives and several other explosions in some part of the state, caused tension in the city. She said it is time to seek God’s intervention, adding: “As women, we must seek the face of God.”
Source: THE NATION
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