The Plateau Peace Building Agency (PPBA), has organised a stakeholders meeting aimed at finding lasting solution to the spate of insecurity in the state.
Speaking at the event on Friday in Jos, Mr Gayi Timothy, the Director of Administration of the agency, said that the meeting was organised in collaboration with various international organisations.
Timothy described as worrisome the resurgence of attacks, killings and destruction of farmlands and other properties in the state, hence the need for meeting. He explained that the stakeholders, largely community leaders, where drawn from Mangu, Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, Jos South, Riyom, and Bassa Local Government Areas of the state.
”We are perturbed by the resurgence of violence on the Plateau and the need to have many stakeholders working because peace building is all about partnerships and relationships.
”And therefore, PPBA, Equal Access International, Search for Common Ground, Mercy Corps, Tearfund, West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), among other international organisations decided to organise this multi-stakeholders’ engagement.
”So, we called these stakeholders together, largely community leaders to hear from them and create room for them to suggest best ways we can collectively achieve peace in our communities,” he said.
Mr Chrisantus Defuna’an, the Chief of Party for Peace Action for Rapid and Transformative Nigerian Early Response, a project of Mercy Corps, said that the meeting became imperative due to the recent eruption of violence in some parts of the state.
He explained that the event would enable stakeholders to fashion out strategies that would further promote peace and security in the state.
”It has become very imperative for us as international NGOs and peace practitioners to put our heads together to engage with community leaders on how these conflicts is impacting on them.
”It is an opportunity for the stakeholders to bear their minds and suggest best ways to live together in peace and harmony.
”We are also going to hold similar meeting with security agencies and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the state on the same matter.
”After these engagements, we will together develop actions points for further engagements that will lead to lasting peace in our communities
”We will also map out possible areas of collaboration and intervention,” he said.
Also speaking, Dr Ma’aji Peter, the Country Director of Equal Access International, described the meeting as timely, adding that it would further propel conversation that would yield positive results in the efforts toward a peaceful Plateau.
Peter, who said that the collaboration was first of its kind in the state, maintained that the engagement would create a platform for stakeholders, particularly communities leaders to interact toward achieving lasting peace and security in the state.