PIND foundation charts novel path for peace in Niger Delta, inaugurates conflict prevent council

Partnership for Peace in the Niger Delta (PIND) has advocated the need to mitigate or halt conflicts identified by stakeholders in three states of the Niger Delta region, namely, Delta, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States.

Irked by incessant conflicts in the region, the foundation deemed it right a few years ago to put machinery in place to build enduring peace in the region.

PIND Foundation under the management of the Executive Director, Mr. Tunji Idowu, has blossomed, flourished and superlatively impactful on the social-econonic environment of the Niger Delta region as it concerns peace and tranquility.

The Network Coordinator of the Partners for Peace (P4P) in Niger Delta , Africas Lawal, in his opening speech during the establishment/inauguration of the Delta State chapter of the Prevent Council, said to reduce conflict over the long term, PIND launched the P4P Network in 2013, with the intention of engaging and empowering local actors in peace-building and conflict mitigation.

He said Partners for Peace aims at preventing and nipping crisis in the bud to achieve a zero conflict situation in the region.

Stressing further, the network coordinator said: “P4P was designed to build capacity, social capital, and local ownership among key stakeholder groups in the Niger Delta through the facilitation of a platform by which men, women, and youth can work together to promote peace in their communities.

“In 2015, PIND established the Integrated Peace and Development Unit, IPDU to implement peace-building programmes to provide operational level support to the P4P and other organisations through research, capacity building and applied learning aimed at early targeting and mitigation of potential drivers of conflict and instability among other objectives.

Lawal, said available data from the PIND peace map organised by the IPDU reveals Delta as one of the states with the highest incidence of lands/ boundaries disputes and other communal conflicts that have resulted in the destruction of numerous lives and property among the various states in the Niger Delta region.

He said if existing tensions and grievances are not addressed appropriately, they could escalate into another cycle of conflicts that could derail the broader peace-building objectives of PIND and other stakeholders in the region.

Lawal, said there is the need for strategic engagement of notable traditional institutions to advise on what actions to take and with whom to engage to prevent, mitigate and resolve violent conflicts in the State.

He said this informed the need for the establishment of a Prevent Council.

According to the lead Consultant, Edewor Egedegbe, said the roles of traditional institutions in any society are very important, as they occupy a critical place in traditional administration.

He said the programme action is addressing existing tensions and grievances that may emanate from boundary disputes, historical tensions, and other communal clashes in the Delta region by establishing a conflict prevent council.

The Delta State Prevent Council in its composition is an embodiment of eminent characters within the Royal fathers, the security agencies and astute men and women from the civil society organisations.

The Prevent Council members representing the traditional institution are: HRM Obi Martha Dunkwu Omu Anioma/Okpanam; Bethel Delekpe; HRM Ohworhu 1, Ovie of Udu kingdom; elder Okotie Vincent – Udu kingdom; HRM Monday Obukowho Whisky, the Ovie of Idjerhe kingdom; High Chief Onosia James Obriki; Chief Adams Sunday Ogheneovo, Izomo of Great Ughelli Kingdom; Chief Pius Omubaye; Ughelli Descendants Union; HRM W. Oharisi, the Paramount Ruler of Great Ughelli Kingdom; HRM Othuke Murphy Urugbezi; Ogwara1,t he Ovie of Ellu Kingdom.

Other members of the Council are: Emekaili Ovie Godspower; Dr Agboro Andrew, who is the Chairman Non State Actors, Delta State; Joy Oletu, representing Robbydee Global Security Ltd.; DCP. Johnson Adeola, representing

Delta State Police Command, Mathew Itsekure for Itsekiri and Sunday Onyewonsa, standing in for Ndokwa nation.

The Prevent Council in Delta State in particular has enormous work to do in view of the numerous conflicts either brewing or full scale across the multilingual divides.