AS part of efforts to promote lasting peace in the Niger-Delta region, a non-government organization, Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger-Delta (PIND), has said that it is committed to engagement of notable traditional rulers and stakeholders in order to prevent escalation of conflict in the region.
The PIND Executive Director, Mr. Tunji Idowu during the inauguration and capacity strengthening for members of the Prevent Council of the group in Delta State held in Asaba, said that about 10, 113 peace actors had intervened in over 2,000 conflicts.
Idowu said that the aim of establishing the councils in the Niger-Delta Sates is to engage traditional institutions as positive influencers and conflict mediators in their respective states and communities.
Idowu, who was represented by the Coordinator, Partners for Peace in the Niger-Delta, High Chief Lawal Africas, urged the Council to act as response team and agents of PIND’s integrated early warning and response system in Delta State and Niger-Delta region.
Those inaugurated as members of the council include the Omu Anioma, Obi Martha Dunkwu, the Ovie of Ellu, the Ovie of Udu Kingdom, the Ovie of Ughelli kingdom, among others.
of Nigerian Security Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), police, DSS and immigration. .
Others are President, Delta State Non-State Actors, Delta State Commissioner for Information, Surveyor-General of Delta State, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Lands and Survey, Special Adviser to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa on Peace-Building and Conflict Resolution and the state’s ALGON chairman..
In his remarks, a consultant to PIND in the state, Pastor Egedegbe Edewor said that PIND had been in the business of peace-building since 2010 and had launched its peace-building initiatives in the Niger-Delta region since 2013 geared towards promoting peace in the region.
Dr Andrew Akhgibe, who represented the Resident Electoral Commissioner, INEC in Delta State noted that the inauguration of Delta State Prevent Council was coming up less than 80 days to the general elections.
He urged everyone to avoid whatever will breach the existing peace in the state.
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