The Bayelsa State Commissioner for Community Development and Executive Chairman of the Bayelsa State Peace Architecture, Hon Alfred Watson Belemote, has emphasized the role of peace in sustainable development across the State using the bottom-top approach in solving communal conflicts as well as deepening peace.
The Commissioner stated this at his office in Yenagoa while playing host to a ten-man delegation who represented the State Peace Architecture (SPA) for a two day regional peace coordination summit in Warri, Delta State.
The summit was organised by Search for Common Ground and her partners with support from the European Union (EU).
The workshop was to assess the current practices of the Peace Architecture Platforms, generate action plans to achieve a more sustainable Peace Architecture Model, develop strategies and initiatives that will align with environmental, societal and economic sustainable goals brought to the fore, and strengthen ties and foster peace amongst the three states of Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers.
Members cross fertilized ideas on the progress of projects, milestones, and successes as well as an overview of State Peace Architecture Platforms, roles, importance and opportunities.
Case studies of structures in Taraba, Plateau and Adamawa SPAs were shared by participants who garnered experience with a view to understand what worked as well as what did not following cultural differences to give these states continuity after the project stopped.
A peer exchange session amongst the three states of Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers was held as Representatives also shared their challenges and lessons learned over time on how the State Peace Architecture worked during the period under review.
The goal is to have lasting peace in the Niger Delta Region and strengthen the effort of Search for Common Ground and its partners’ vision to facilitate the process for peace through a community centered approach to transforming criminality and violence in the Niger Delta.
The regional coordination meeting also witnessed the development of plans for implementing selected SPA initiative action plan, three Initiatives and Action Plans were approved for Bayelsa State by the National Team for immediate action between July and August-COMMUNITY PEACE ADVOCACY AGAINST DRUG ABUSE FOR YOUTHS IN BAYELSA STATE HIGHER INSTITUTIONS, DIALOGUE ON CARBON EMISSION OFF SET STUDY AND STAKEHOLDERS DIALOGUE FOR THE
COMMUNITY PEACE COMMISSION (CPC) POLICY/BILL.
Presenting the formal report to the Community Development Commissioner, the Secretary of the State Peace Architecture (SPA), Dr. Inebaraton Preye, who spoke on behalf of the team noted that as Search for Common Ground finally concluded its activities in the State there is a deliberate need to institutionalise the peace sustainability initiative already carried out by her team.
He thanked the Commissioner for his support to members while they attended the workshop in Warri as they also solicited support towards achieving these action plans and initiatives designed for July and August.
The Bayelsa State Coordinator of Early Warning and Early Response (EWER), Mr Victor Baba, lauded the State Delegation for an excellent delivery and successful outing in Warri, Delta State.
He stated that Search for Common Ground is willing to work with the Ministry of Community Development to institutionalise peace building efforts by the SPA in the State.
Responding to the team, the Commissioner alongside his Permanent Secretary, Mr Naten Opuene, and other Management Staff noted that the Ministry shares similar goals and objectives with the programme.
He harped on the sustainability of the project beyond Search’s efforts, concluding that this phase needs to build institutions as the efforts align with the Ministry of Community Development set to be a sprint board to anchoring the projects to support these efforts for community peace building and development for a more virile peace architecture in Bayelsa State consolidating on the gains of Search for Common Ground.
The ten member Delegations of the Bayelsa State Peace Architecture (SPA) in attendance were: Dr. Preye Inebaraton (Secretary, SPA Bayelsa), Dr Amatare Mozimo, Mr. Opus Francis (SSA Security), Mr. Timilaemi Ekpo (Corrections/Prisons), Mr. John Ekimie (Immigration), Mr Erepa A. (NDLEA), Mrs Grace Orumieyefa (NAWOJ), Mr Bamekpa Osain (CPA Rep),Theophilus Agidee (ARISE NEWS), and Ms. Janet Twonmute (Search Media Team).
