Uzodimma commended for ensuring peace,  security in the state

By Ezinne Ude…

The State Coordinator, Institute for Crisis Resolution, Peace Building And Conciliation (ICRPC), Rev. Dr Austin Uchegbu, has commended the state governor, Sen Hope Uzodimma for his commitment to peace and security in the state.

Rev. Dr Uchegbu made the commendation during the Imo PeaceBuilding And Conflict Resolution, 2024 Conference, jointly organised by ICRPC and UFP, Imo State, with the theme: Mediation, Negotiation Skills, Conflict Resolution And PeaceBuilding, at Rockview Hotel, Owerri.

Dr Uchegbu who is also the Coordinator United for Peace Imo State, congratulated the governor, for the peaceful and successful election and inauguration of his second tenure in office, wishing him more peaceful and progressive next four years of regime.

“ As we thank His Excellency for his tireless efforts in tackling the security challenges in the state, this conference has come at a critical period to compliment his efforts in our contribution to a peaceful tenure of his second term, geared towards sustainable development” he said.

The ICRPC Coordinator said the mission of ICRPC was to build, strengthen and improve the crisis resolution and Peace Building capacities of practitioners, scholars and stakeholders, through professional development and certification, in addition to promoting best practices to foster crisis resolution management and Peace Building in Africa and beyond.

In his opening remarks, the Chairman of the occasion, Amb. Engr Peter C. Ohagwa, Director Bureau for Peace and Conflict Resolution/ Comdr Imo Peace Corps, stated that the country is passing through a major humanitarian crisis that has resulted in more than seven million person displaced by insurgency in the North East since 2010 and maintained that something must be done differently to effectively address Nigeria current threats to peace and security before things fall apart.

Engr Ohagwa stressed that in order to curb the excess of insecurity in the major cities and communities, government at all levels should upgrade, train, equip Forestry Officers with arms and deploy them into forest to forestall continuous occupation of the forest by Bandits and Kidnappers.

The State Commissioner for Police, CP  Aboki Danjuma in his Paper Titled “ The role of Community Policing in Conflict Resolution and PeaceBuilding,” said that Community Policing involves collaboration between the Police and community that identifies and solves community problems with the police no longer the sole guardians of Law and Order, all members of the community become active allies in the efforts to enhance safety of the neighborhood.

He revealed that Community Policing was officially launched in 2004 as a strategy to help deal with emerging trends of conflicts.

Speaking on the Topic “ Peace Building And Non Violent Approach to Conflict Resolution – A General Appraisal”, HRH Eze Dr Goodluck Obi of Ofo Dim Ubulu Ihejiofo, Owerri West, in sustenance of peace in Nigeria, Imo State in particular, all should cultivate the spirit of non violent approach to conflict resolution which he said is adjudged by friends and foes alike as the best way to sustenance of peace where justice will flow like water and righteousness alike an unending stream.

On the topic “ The power of Mediation in conflict process” by Dr Solomon Ochepa Oduma Aboh of Kaduna State University and the topic “Conflict Transformation, Peace Building And National Development in Nigeria” by Dr Emmanuel Achus Jah of Nigerian Army University Biu Borno State, where the lecturers said that peace building encompasses efforts to build positive peace, in which underlying structural, relational, cultural, Political and economic drivers of conflict are addressed and transformed.

The highlights of the occasion were, induction of new members and Award ceremony.