Stakeholders from Kabuowei Clan in Bayelsa State have risen from a crucial meeting with a call on the state government and all relevant agencies to support the Clan in the implementation of resolutions reached at its deliberations bordering on peace, security and sustainable development.
A statement by the Ozituaowei of Kabuowei Clan (Bayelsa) High Chief Freston Akpor, the meeting which held at the palace of the Ebedaowei of Kabuowei Clan at Trofani, issued a four-point communique which acknowledges and welcomes the state government’s organogram on community administration as issued by the Ministry of Community Development
The communique affirms that though development unions in communities are legally recognised as instruments of development in their various constitutions, they are however not to solely run the affairs of the communities but to rather undertake that function alongside other organs to promote peace and boost growth.
The Kabuowei Clan stakeholders expressed concern over the state of insecurity across the country and want communities constituting the Clan to develop a security architecture designed to address the challenges unique to them and such efforts would be co-ordinated at the Clan level to ensure uniformity, intelligence gathering and sharing while partnering with security agencies at the state level for wider success.
The communique endorses paramount rulers who are recognised in the organogram of community governance structure to be adopted as chief security officers of their respective communities and enjoins them to work closely with community development committees (CDC) and other stakeholders in achieving set security objectives.
While suing for harmonious co-existence among various groups in communities in Kabuowei Clan, the stakeholders-in-session declares that “Development unions should be guided by their specific functions and constitutions and their activities must not conflict with the administrative structure and organs of Kabuowei communities such as the paramount ruler, CDC, youth and women executives as provided for in the communities’ constitutions and the laws of Bayelsa State”
Realising that economic development drives growth, the communique encourages all seven communities comprising the clan in Bayelsa State not only to revive but also improve their participation in traditional occupations leveraging on innovations to promote fishing, farming and trading activities while at the same time source for economic programmes to fund economic initiatives through government agencies, donor agencies and NGOs.
The communique also wants development unions to collaborate with their respective paramount rulers to ensure Kabuowei communities in Bayelsa benefit from the proceeds of natural resources including oil and gas in particular and adds that all economic activities and interventions by government would be supervised and co-ordinated at the centre by the Clan to avoid duplicity but ensure equitable benefits.
