Govt Assures On Effective Collaboration With PANDEF Women Wing

By Solomon Umanah 
UYO
The Akwa Ibom government has pledged effective collaboration with the women wing of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) in tackling issues concerning women in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.
The commissioner for women affairs and social welfare, Mrs Inibehe Etukudo, who made the pledge, recently, while receiving a delegation of the women wing of Akwa Ibom State Chapter of the organisation, on a courtesy call in her office, noted that with the calibre of persons at the leadership level of PANDEF’s Women Wing, coupled with their wealth of experience over the years, Akwa Ibom will benefit immensely from the partnership arrangement.
Expressing appreciation to God for the emergence of Obonganwan Grace Ekong, former secretary to Akwa Ibom State Government (SSG), as the new national women leader of PANDEF, the women affairs commissioner maintained, “I know with this position that God has given to Akwa Ibom State, you will be able to draw much more development to the State.”
While accepting the membership of the organisation as requested by the state women leader, Obonganwan Edith Ettete, in her address, the women affairs boss thanked the delegation for intimating her of the activities of the organisation, pledging her ministry’s readiness to explore areas of cooperation with the body, with a view to promoting the interest of the state, as well as the ARISE Agenda of Governor Umo Eno’s administration.
Earlier in her address, the leader of the delegation and Akwa Ibom women leader of the organisation, Obonganwan Edith Ettete, said PANDEF was a socio-political organisation that serves as the umbrella body for various leaders, elders and stakeholders from the South South geo-political zone of Nigeria, comprising the nine states of the Niger Delta region.
She said the organisation focuses primarily on advocating for the socio-economic development of the Niger Delta region, including improvement of infrastructure in the region, as well as fostering economic diversification beyond oil.
Ettete further stated that PANDEF’s aim was to advocate for peace building, stability, restructuring, resource control, as well as fairness in resource distribution and political representation, pointing out that the organization through her advocacy had achieved the passage of the Petroleum Industry Act ( PIA) which, she noted, had drawn attention to the development of the affected areas in the region, describing the body as “pro-development organisation.”
While soliciting closer cooperation between the organisation and the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, the women leader further disclosed that PANDEF’s Women Directorate’s focus was to mobilise and organise women in the region in alignment with the developmental programmes within the purview of the forum.
Obonganwan Ettete, who presented a formal invitation to the women affairs boss to join the women wing of PANDEF as an executive member, pledged her organisation’s readiness to partner the Akwa Ibom government through the ministry in promoting the objectives of the ARISE Agenda of the Umo Eno-led administration in the State.
Present during the courtesy call were the director of Administration and Supplies Covering duties for the permanent secretary in the ministry, Mrs Affiong Nkom; director of Economic Services, Barr Nkechi Udo, and the international coordinator of the Women Wing of the ARISE with Hope Initiative, Dr Glory Edet, among others.