BY SAM DUVWODE
Delta State Deputy Governor, Barr. Kingsley Otuaro, has said, peace building is very essential to the socio-economic development of any society. He noted that, peace, if not properly managed, can pull down the economy of any society or nation.
Barr. Otuaro, stated this while receiving Members of the Foundation for Partnerships Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) on a courtesy call paid to him at Government House Annex, Warri.
Barr. Otuaro, assured the members of PIND of government partnership and collaboration in sustaining the existing peace in the Niger Delta, especially Delta State.
According to him, it is among Delta State government cardinal promgramme to create meaningful peace building platforms that is actually aimed at bringing social harmony. He noted that, all other axillary objectives of government in terms of infrastructural, educational, agricultural, as well as human capital development among others, can only be achieved through the instrumentality of attaining peace in the various communities.
“As a government, we cannot afford to de-emphasised the need for sustaining peace. So, we want to commend your drive about ensuring peace in the Niger Delta region. Government will take a look into a deeper understanding of the purport of your presentation and see how it can be part of the process because the sustainance of peace is very important to us.
The state deputy governor noted that, the communities in the Niger Delta region are very important, asserting that, in circumstances where there is unrest, it goes to shaken the social and economic foundation of the country, most especially when it happened in oil and gas region of the country.
According to him; “The omnibus source of our economy is woven round our oil and gas, so we must sustain the peace building move and government is prepared and willing to partner with foundations like PIND, whose initiative is geared towards ensuring peace in the Niger Delta”. Barr. Otuaro stated.
Earlier, in his address, the Network Coordinator, Foundation for Partnership for Initiative in the Niger Delta (PIND), Chief Lawal Africas, said the foundation was founded in 2010 with the aim of enhancing peace building in the Niger Delta.
Chief Africas, noted that the foundation has trained members who monitors and reports back to the network, incidents that is likely to cause breach of peace among communities and companies operating in the Niger Delta region. He added that, the network in such circumtances take the initiative of intervening in order to ensure that, there is relative peace and harmony between both parties.
He asserted that their visit is to seek government support is situations where the window of negotiation in ensuring peace between communities and companies becomes too difficult to open.
Also, the Facilitator of Warri Multi Stakeholders Platform, and also a member of PIND, Dr. Austin Onuoha, disclosed that the concept of the association originated from the United Nations to negotiate peace in the Niger Delta.
According to him, their first focus is on ensuring peace in the region, adding that, they have visited traditional rulers in the areas to extract information that can help maintaining peace in the society.
He also said the Maritime University and EPZ Trade Zone was another major area of concern they are looking at, so that all projects located in those areas will not be an abandoned due to any breach of peace. He pointed out that, Delta State is a flashpoint, and any break down of peace in these areas will have adverse effect on the nation’s economy.