Nasarawa State government is collaborating with the UNDP to establish an agency for peace building and conflict resolution.
Munirat Abdullahi, Special Adviser on Non-Governmental Affairs and Development Partners to Gov. Abdullahi Sule, said at stakeholders meeting on Friday in Lafia that the two partners already drafted a Bill in respect of the plan.
She said the state government had shown commitment toward entrenching sustainable peace in the state and called on stakeholders to make meaningful and objective inputs to the Bill before its presentation to the House of Assembly.
“This Bill, when passed into law, will provide a platform where conflicts can be nipped in the bud and ensure sustainable peace and harmonious coexistence among diverse groups in the state,’’ she said.
Munirat assured stakeholders that the state government was determined to partner with any group whose activities would promote peace, unity and progress.
Prof. Alabi Mojeet, Consultant with the UNDP presented the draft of the Bill to the meeting and asked for inputs.
Mojeet said the draft was prepared from contributions made at different meetings with groups in the 13 local government areas of the state.
He said the Bill gave attention to gender-based violence, herders/farmers clashes, ethnic and communal clashes.
The meeting was attended by the Christian Association of Nigeria, the Jamaa’tul Nasir Islam, the National Association of Women Journalists and representatives of Civil Society Organisations. (NAN)
