- By Abel Johngold Orheruata
Flagging off the sensitization to curb post election violence, other security challenges, and to promote discipline, unity and patriotism, NOA Director General, Dr Garba Abari represented by the Imo State Director of the agency, Mr Vitus Ekeocha, urged the people of the South South geo-political zone of the country to embrace the National Orientation Agency’s platform of peace building in all their communities to bring about the much expected economic transformation of the region.
Doctor Abari who stated the above in Asaba, said post election violence and other security challenges will reduce to the barest minimum when those elected execute programmes and projects for the wellbeing of all the people.
In his remarks, the Delta State Commissioner for Information, Chief Patrick Ukah wants the National Orientation Agency, NOA, to step up campaign to ensure equality in access to opportunities as part of measures to prevent conflicts in the country.
The Commissioner represented by an official in the ministry and Secretary NUJ Delta State Council, Comrade Churchill Oyowe said ’’Where there are no equality in access to opportunities, a country where impunity is very high, I am sure NOA will find it difficult to really make the people believe them.’’
He stated further,’’ But whatever the case, we must keep faith as a country by addressing the root cause of some of these problems. This is where the NOA should try and re-strategize.’’
‘’Impunity is very high in our country; disobedience to constituted authorities, and lack of equality in access of opportunities. If you don’t know one or two ministers or honourables, getting a job is difficult or even opportunity to start up your own business. These are the things that will cause people to be agitating for one thing or the other when there is no equal access to opportunities. So, I think the NOA should address that issue to see how those who are concerned should change the trend so that Nigerians will have access to opportunities that will better their lives’’, Ukah added
Representatives of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Delta State, the Reverend Oke Akokotu and the State Moslem Board, Alhaji Bala Abdullahi gave an assurance that religiou bodies would continue to promote peace in the state.
There were goodwill messages from representatives of Delta Police Command CP, Adeleke Adeyinka and the Commandant of National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Delta Command.
The programme tagged: ‘’Building a People of Peace’’, drew participants from the religious bodies, security agencies, media, NGOs, political and governmental bodies.
Highlight of the sensitization was a paper presentation on curbing post election violence by a media expert and GM, Pointer Newspaper, Mr Clement Ufuani.
Also, the Functioning General Manager of the Delta Printing and Publishing Company (DPPCL), publishers of the Pointer titles, Mr Celestine Ofuani, has restated the need for legislators to be elected on part-time basis.
Mr Ofuani, made the call today in Asaba at a lecture, ‘Curbing Post-Elections Violence and Promoting Discipline, Unity and Patriotism, which he delivered as a key note speaker at National Orientation Agency (NOA) South South Zonal Sensitization to curb post election violence, other security challenges, and to promote discipline, unity and patriotism.
He argued that the reason there was so much violence associated with election was the over bloated take home pay of politicians; citing legislators as major culprits saying that politics should be made to be far less attractive than what presently prevailed.
He said that for political violence to be checked there was the need for political will to prosecute suspects of political violence to serve as deterrent to others.
The Functioning General Manager also tasked state institutions such as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, the mass media, among others, to be strengthened to check abuses and that INEC should be funded independently of the executive arm of government, saying that security agencies should be enlightened on their loyalty to the state rather than the political party in power.
According to Mr Ofuani, “Evidently, the incidence of election violence is high and, because it appears to be escalating, rather than ebbing, there is the urgent need to stem the tide, in the overall interest of the country.”