Kaduna: Global Peace seeks synergy with Govt, other NGOs to end conflict

By Austine Emmanuel, Kaduna

Global Peace Foundation Nigeria, (GPFN) in collaboration with Church and Society, has called for synergy between government and other Sister Agencies to end violent conflicts in Kaduna state.

This is as the foundation said that partnership with other Non governmental organizations will facilitate the core mandates of restoring peaceful coexistence to every nook and cranny of the state.

Speaking at the 1-Day round table meeting on Security and Development of Kaduna State, the Country Director, GPFN Rev. Dr. John Joseph Hayab said that the synergy will make it more organised for NGOs in the state to come together and share responsibilities among themselves, rather than staying in one location propagating the message of peace whereas other communities are badly in need.

Hayab, while soliciting for government support, called Gov. Uba Sani to try as much as possible to sustain the tempo on the willingness to engage people, adding that the gesture has changed the atmosphere of the state.

“We are calling on NGOs to come together as a team and share responsibilities. Like 10 or 20 NGOs coming together and you say this group should take care of Area A, another group should take care of Area B, C, Z and so on, then we are working.

“But sometimes because of lack of proper coordination we all go to one place and are talking in one place and then other places are on fire and nobody is there. So we are looking forward to that kind of understanding. If it works, it will help solve this problem so that 10 NGOs will not be in one place whereas there are other places that need attention.

“If we can organise ourselves in different places and do the same thing then you see the same results coming out of various communities, and there is a change of attitude where people begin to see each other as brothers, members of one family and we go on to have a peaceful and prosperous Kaduna. Nigeria also begins to enjoy, because when there is crisis in Kaduna, Nigeria too will not be at peace.

“We want to appeal to the government that the tempo they have started by showing willingness to engage people should be maintained. What people need is that the government knows that they exist. When the government thinks that people are not important and they have no value, then the enemy can easily instigate people.

“But for our governor we can say that kudos. He has started well and we urge him to maintain it. You can see that there is a shift for the past one and half year. Kaduna that was known for fear and tension is beginning to calm down. We may not have gotten everything now but we are working towards it. If we sustain it after a year or two, I can assure you that we will only come here to find other things to do, not talk about fighting or Christian and Muslims relationship. I think we are supposed to have outgrown that but we are on our way,” he said.

In his remarks, the Special Adviser to Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani on Religious matters, Mr. Atiku Sankay said that the State Governor has no other priority than the security and peaceful coexistence of Kaduna state.

He added that, “Governor Sani is determined to take the state back to the glory days by engaging the National Security Adviser, (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu, rescuing abducted school children, welcoming positive critics and attending Christmas Carol celebration.

“The state government has been involved in the past year of his administration in both kinetic and non kinetic approaches to our different security challenges. Just last week the governor made available about 150 patrol vehicles and 500 motorcycles which will be distributed to various security agencies to boost the security capabilities of the security agencies in the 22 LGA of the state.

“He also has visited the Kaduna state vigilant service recruiting and training of about 7,000 additional vigilantes around the state. In the non kinetic approaches to our security challenges, his Excellency has engaged religious Leaders, Elders, traditional leaders and instituted different committees.

“For example, in the next few weeks, I will be going to embark on mediation round 8 LGA in southern Kaduna where we will seat down with farmers, herders traditional leaders and other stakeholders to speak with them on peaceful practices when this conflicts arise between herders and farmers, because the farming season is before us and the competition for farm and grazing land increases in the farming season so there is need for us to go out there and appeal to our people,” he said.

Speaking with journalists shortly after the event, the Provincial Secretary, Church and Society, Kaduna State Rev. Fr. Onuh Sixtus, said “as faith based organisation, we see ourselves as a body that is responsible for our people and also have a role to play in the society by being a moral voice of the society, calling those who are saddled with responsibilities of gatekeeping and duty bearers to their duty and to make sure that everybody play their roles.

“Apart from the angle of religious leaders, it is not something we can do alone and that is what has led to a conversation like this one.”