Brave Dickson
An international non governmental organization known as Search for Common Ground with headquarters in USA has commenced moves to deepen peace in the Niger Delta with the aim of exterminating violent conflict in the area.
Delivering the key note address with the theme, “Peace Architecture Dialogue as strategy for sustainable peace and security in Rivers State,” an Associate Professor of the Faculity of Social Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Dr Steve Wordu identified inappropriate utilization of petroleum proceeds by the ruling class as one of the major causes of violent conflict in the Niger Delta.
Dr Wordu said, “crude oil has always been one of the major causes of violent conflict in petrol-states across the globe including Nigeria.
Since crude oil seems to be a faster way of making money, the ruling class tends to mismanage proceeds from petrol at the detriment of others.
“Therefore, Search for Common Ground in its efforts to deepen peace in the region, must identify oil as conflict resources, the political gladiators as conflict actors and their actions as conflict issues.
“This has led to underdevelopmental issues in the Niger Delta which in itself include: Poverty, inequality, unemployment, environmental degradation among others.”
He however urged Search for Common Ground to train critical thinkers who will drive its peace building process into fruition.
Speaking on the overview of the drivers of conflict, using the Pan Niger Delta Forum perspective, the Chairman of the one-day workshop in Port Harcourt on Thursday who doubles as Deputy National Secretary of PANDEF, Ken Robinson underscored the need for peace to the development of the region.
“In identifying the drivers of conflict in the oil-rich region, PANDEF presented 16 broad issues to President Muhammadu Buhari urging him to address them for the interest of peace in the Niger Delta. These issues were: Ogoni clean up, Bodo-Bonny road, East-west road, Bakasi peninsula in Cross River State among others. So PANDEF is interested in peace and is ready to support stakeholders in achieving it,” Mr Robinson said.
He also commended Search for Common Ground for its efforts in fostering peace in the region, stressing the need for all critical stakeholders of the region to synergize towards entrenching peace in the region.
In his royal advice, the traditional ruler of Oropotoma Kingdom which comprises Elelenwo and other adjoining communities, Eze Nyema Onunwor identified drug abuse and land disputes as some of the causes of violent conflict in the Niger Delta.
The monarch therefore advised leaders of the region to address the issues of unemployment as well as skill acquisition, noting that if the youths are meaningfully engaged, it will go a long way in bringing peace to the region.
Earlier in their separate remarks, Search for Common Ground Rivers State Project Coordinator, Mr Cosmos Dinee and the Project Manager, Mr Cletus Ilugo said Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers States have been earmarked for the peace project, adding that Gokana, Okrika and Port Harcourt are the LGAs in Rivers State that have been pencil down for the project.
They said during their research on causes of violent conflict in some Niger Delta communities, cultism, fake news and chieftaincy tussles were uncovered as factors responsible for violent conflict, maintaining that the objective of Search for Common Ground is to amplify the voices of the marginalized.
At the end of the workshop’s interactive session, a communique was raised which resolved as follows:
1) That there should be community profiling which should include, community resources inventory and traditional tenureship system.
2) That there should be a social political structure.
3) That there should be community development status through needs assessment and priority ranking.
and
4) That there should be mid-stream inclusion which implies the identification and inclusion of excluded critical stakeholders.
Those in attendance were security agencies, journalists, traditional rulers, clerics, representatives of non governmental organizations among others.
Highlight of the workshop was the nomination and inauguration of a leadership for Peace Architecture Dialogue for Rivers State charged with the responsibility of deepening peace in the state.
They are: Mr Ken Robinson (Chairman) Mrs, Mercy Ugochi of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (Vice chairman) and other members drawn from various sectors that participated in the workshop.
