…hints on synergy with SFCG

By Davies Iheamnachor

PORT HARCOURT: The Rivers State Government has vowed to make peace building part of the local government area governance structure, adding that development would only thrive in the state when their is peace at the local level.

This was the government hinted on a synergy with Search for Common Ground, SFCG, and other stakeholders to tackle the menace of drug abuse and resolving conflicts among communities in the state.

The Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Prince Charles Beke, while speaking at a State Peace Architecture, SPA, meeting in Port Harcourt, organised by Search For Common Ground, called for improved collaboration between key stakeholders in the state in winning the war against drug abuse and communal crisis.

The Commissioner, who doubles as the Chairman of the SPA, said collaboration among stakeholders which includes all security sectors, community and religious leaders, Civil Society Organisations, would guarantee sufficient communication and headway in tackling drug abuse and other security issues in the state.

He said: “The establishment and mobilisation of Community Peace Architecture, CPA, Local Government Peace Architecture, LPA, and the State Peace Architecture, SPA, by Search For Common Ground, has been instrumental in promoting conflict transformation, governance, participation and peacebuilding in our state.

“This platform serves as a critical Early Warning and Early Response (EWER) mechanism to transform drivers of violence and criminality in the state, so, working in synergy with security agencies to prevent, establish and ensure swift response in emerging threats in the state.”

Beke, who pledged to strengthen the synergy between the government and peacebuilding stakeholders in the state, added that the state through collaboration with Search For Common Ground has recorded numerous achievements in peacebuilding, crime fighting and conflict resolutions.

He said: “Through Search For Common Ground, we have recorded notable successes. And these successes recorded so far are a testament to what we can achieve through improved partnership and collaboration with stakeholders and peacebuilding sectors. And to sustain and expand this game, we must continue to work together.

“As Chairman of SPA, I commit to strengthening the synergy between government institutions and peacebuilding stakeholders. We also pledge to support the integration of peacebuilding strategies into local governance structure in the state.

“The establishment and mobilisation of Community Peace Architecture, CPA, local government Peace Architecture, LPA, and the State Peace Architecture, SPA, has been instrumental in promoting conflict transformation, governance, participation and peacebuilding in our state.

“This platform serves as a critical Early Warning and Early Response (EWER) mechanism to transform drivers of violence and criminality in the state, so, working in synergy with security agencies to prevent, establish and ensure swift response response in emerging threats in the state.”