By Onyinyechi Nwankwo
Concerned by the escalating conflict in the society, a Non Governmental Outfit dedicated to promoting peace and development in the Niger Delta Region, Partners for Peace (P4P), has conducted training on land dispute prevention, mitigation, conflict resolution and peace building capacity enhancement for stakeholders in Mbaitolu Local Government Area, Imo State,
The one day training involving President-Generals (PGs), Palace Secretaries, Chairmen, Peace and Conflict Resolution Committees (CRCs), Youth Leaders and Women Leaders of the autonomous communities in the LGA, took place at Ubomiri, last week.
In the training, the Imo State Coordinator of P4P, Chilos A. C. Godsent, identified the history, root causes, characters, scope, actors and dynamics of land dispute and other conflicts, explaining that for any conflict to be resolved it must first be analysed, harping that mediation brings about sustainable peace in communities.
He noted that the training was aimed at enhancing the capacity of the stakeholders in resolving conflicts and building peace in their various communities as leaders, maintaining that peace promotes development while conflict destroys, breeds fear in residents which diminishes their capacity to demonstrate their resolute power towards community development.
Godsent disclosed that the Imo State Chapter of P4P maps out every year five local government areas in Imo State for training on conflict resolution, stating that this year’s program covered Isiala Mbano, Mbaitolu, Okigwe, Ahiazu Mbaise and Onuimo LGAs, testifying that the project has been of great impact in the lives of those trained who exhibited well what they were taught, thereby fostering peace in their various communities.
Calling on government to align with the group, provide them with necessary support towards promoting peace in communities in the Niger Delta Region, Godsent said they are facing the challenge of funding and misunderstanding from people who think that constitutional powers to mitigate conflicts in communities only lies on the shoulders of government, affirming that P4P is the most famous organization with the prerequisite skill to train people as conflict conciliators and peace builders in various communities.
He urged participants to effectively use the tools inculcated in them to be great ambassadors of peace, promoting peaceful coexistence among families and community dwellers.
Just as the Mbaitolu Coordinator of P4P, Hon. Eddy Achor Opara, assessed the training as an excellent move, thanking the State Coordinator for organizing it, eulogizing the stakeholders of Mbaitolu for responding well to the training invitation targeted at achieving peace in the locality, appealing to the state government to make the NGO relevant, encourage and assist peace actors by providing them with facilities needed for conflict mitigation.
Lending their voices, some of the trainees including the PG of Obi Mbieri autonomous community, Mr. Timothy Agu Nwanyanwu, Woman Leader of Ubomiri Amawuhe autonomous community, Mrs. Favour Uzoma, Comrade Uche, from Ifeakala community, appreciated the P4P network for such a timely, wonderful program, saying they have really learnt a lot and would endeavour to apply the methods of resolving conflict at their communities for enhanced peace, social comfort, development and economic prosperity.
