Igbogene monarch in Bayelsa unites subjects with NGO

Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa

The Paramount Ruler of Igbogene, Royal Highness Professor Augustine Ikein, has pledged to work closely with the Women Organized for Mentorship and Advocacy Network (WOMAN) and the Eunice Nnachi Women Advocacy Foundation (ENWAF) to address pressing health and social issues in the Igbogene community, Bayelsa.

During a community engagement and advocacy visit, the Executive Director of WOMAN, Lady Eunice Nnachi, highlighted the urgent need to tackle the consequences of cholera outbreak, drug abuse, and the neglect of maternal health in the area.

Nnachi emphasized the importance of improving sanitation and access to clean water to prevent cholera, implementing comprehensive drug abuse prevention and treatment programs, and increasing investment in maternal healthcare services.

In response, the royal father expressed gratitude for WOMAN’s initiative and pledged to collaborate with local authorities, healthcare providers, and community leaders to develop a holistic strategy to address the identified challenges.

He advocated the need for a multifaceted approach that leverages the expertise and resources of various stakeholders to improve the overall well-being of the Igbogene community.

The visit was seen as a crucial step in empowering the community and fostering collaborative efforts to address the pressing health and social issues affecting Igbogene community.

The traditional ruler emphasized the importance of private initiatives like WOMAN and ENWAF in partnering with traditional rulers, the government, and other stakeholders to promote human welfare and collective well-being.

He said, “Both advanced and developing countries, encourage your kind of organisation to partner not only with traditional rulers, the government itself, in an attempt to promote human welfare, but that should also be about governance.

“You cannot leave it alone for the formal government to take all the work. This private initiative is a welcome idea, to add value, promote and create collective welfare.”