By; Tina Phineas, Yola.
The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), has disclosed its intent to train 650 peace volunteers in Adamawa.
Prof. Osita Osita, the Director General of the institute made this disclosure in Yola Wednesday while declaring open a workshop on Community Peace Building and Coping strategies organised for stakeholders by the institute in collaboration with UNHCR and Adamawa State Government.
Osita who was represented by Chief Research Fellow in the institute, Dr Joseph Ochogwu, said the volunteers would serve as promoters of peace among their people.
According to him, volunteers would be provided with needed skills in peace building, conflict resolution and conflict management, among others.
He said that with the restoration of peace and recovery of areas occupied by insurgents in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, peace building among returnees became necessary.
Osita lauded Adamawa Government for its commitment to peaceful coexistence among the diverse people of the state, and reiterated the commitment of the institute to partner with the government and other stakeholders in that direction.
Also speaking, the representative of UNHRC, Mrs Veronica Yohanna, tasked stakeholders on the need to be steadfast in ensuring peaceful coexistence for meaningful development.
Adamawa Commissioner for Local Government, Alhaji Mohammed Barkindo, who also spoke, lauded the project which he said would create the needed momentum for increase engagement in peace building initiatives.
“This will lead to community resilience in terms of increase trust, brespect for diversity, and decrease fear between groups as we gradually transit into early stages, after such massive displacement,” Barkindo said.
