CSOs inaugurate peace-building committee for Yenagoa LGA

Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa

A coalition of three Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has inaugurated a Local Government Peace Building Committee for Yenagoa Local Government Area in Bayelsa.

The CSOs want the peace committee to push further for a sustainable Peace in the Niger Delta region,

The CSOs, Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND), Stakeholder Democratic Network and Search for Common Ground have integrated the Peace Building Committee to continue pushing for permanent Peace in Yenagoa LGA.

The programme is part of the European Union funded Community Centered Approach to Transforming Criminality and Violence in the Niger Delta.

Speaking at the inauguration on Mr Faith Etukudo, Programme Coordinator for PIND surged the committee members to go as far as questioning some policies at the national level that have not trickled down to the local governments.

Etukudo explained that the committee is a 25-member group of credible community representatives, youths and women, security agencies amongst others.

He also urged them to identify the relevant stakeholders involved in drug abuse and other social vices and make sure that they are sensitised to turn a new leaf.

Etukudo said: “We expect that the committee questions why those  policies and  laws issued at the national level  have not  trickled down to the community and identify those issues that require policies or institutional changes. They should go and make sure that they achieve results.

“We are charging the committee to go further and influence activities like drug abuse. They should identify the stakeholders and map out what went wrong and why the culprits are  not being prosecuted by law enforce agencies.”

The chairman of the committee, Debewari Tarila who is also the Secretary of Yenagoa LGA in Bayelsa, maintained that the sensitization should be done more at the communities adding that the committee with available resources will move to the communities to sensitize the people of the dangers of crimes.

He called on relevant stakeholders to join hands in stamping out crimes in the LGA and state, especially drug abuse, calling on parents to take their parenting roles seriously.

“Collectively if we put our resources together, impact will be made. It may not be a complete one but I think there will be an impact that we will say yes, this committee will help to reduce insecurity in Yenagoa Local Government Area.

“To curtail the insecurity we are facing, financial resources are needed because all machinery must be put at work. Sanitization has been going on but we need to do more because we cannot say that the people are over informed.

“Sensitisation has to be a continuous one but in doing that, resources are needed and one of the major causes of insecurity is the issues of drug that is the propelling force instigating the crisis.

“We need to re-orientate people in our communities because social vices seem to be encouraged so community-based leaders have to do more. Most of the campaigns should get to the communities. If this awareness starts from the families, parents are speaking to their children, community leaders are also speaking, we will achieve results.

“Some parents deliberately encourage their children to go into crimes like internet fraud. They buy phones for them to go and make money, so they should condemn this act. If the condemnation is strong in all platforms, people will have a rethink.

“It is a process though because it has eaten deep into the system, we need to have a deliberate approach to this. With all these in partnership with the government and other bodies, we will achieve results,” Tarila said.

Mrs Seiyefa Otuogha, Women Leader Nedugo Agbia Community in Yenagoa in her remarks said that she has been harping on the fact that parents should not give up on their children no matter what.

“Parents must not give up n their children, follow them up until you know you have done the needful in the life of your child because if anything happens and the child dies, you have lost so parents shouldn’t give up,” she said.