PIND Foundation Concludes Warri MSP Town Hall Meting, For Ijaw, Itsekiri Peace Project

PIND Foundation Concludes Warri MSP Town Hall Meting, For Ijaw, Itsekiri Peace Project 

By Orevaoghene Abikele, FRP

Foundation for Partnership Initiative in the Niger Delta, PIND foundation, on Thursday,  concludes the Warri Multi Stake Holders Town Hall Meting, held in Warri to institutionalise platform for a peaceful coexistence between the Ijaw and Itsekiri ethnic groups.

The  Network Coordinator of the  Warri Multi Stakeholder Platform, MSP, High Chief Africa Lawal, who described the meeting as peace project of PIND foundation in the three Warri local government areas of Delta State, during the final town hall meeting at the king George Hall, Warri South Secretariat, urged the ethnic groups to always remind themselves with the message of peace.

FocalPoint Reports can authoritatively report that, the town Hall meeting afforded Ijaw and Itsekiri people an opportunity to make new friends, many eagerly yearns  for another opportunity as participants called for similarly sustained peace projects.

Responding to the calls, Africa Lawal  said, "The formation of the Warri MSP was deliberately planed with a concerted effort geared towards bring diverse groups, State government representatives, Local government representatives, and traditional institutions together for the purpose of Peaceful Coexistence".

He further stressed that the reasons for the town hall meetings is to seek avenues to jointly advocate for sustainable development and also come together and see each other as one. Not to allow conflict to come between them, adding that the MSP will continue to engage with different Stakeholders to talk on peace until sustainable development is achieved.

Meanwhile, the Manager, Partnership Initiative in the Niger Delta, PIND Foundation, Nkasi Wodu has advised the Ijaw and Itsekiri ethnic groups to be fair to each other in all their doings. Adding that they should not allow the laws of Nigeria to tear their bond apart.

Also, the Warri multi Stakeholder Platform facilitator, Dr. Austin Onuoha hinted that the major thing the two ethnic groups need in order to sustain development is partnership, Stressing that projects should not belong to any particular group or community, but be seen as combined effort of both ethnic groups.

SP Kennedy Teiyeibo, representative of the DPO, A' Division Warri, also point out that unity bring progress and development, as unity is not by greeting or marrying themselves. The DPO, B' Division, Andrew Ihedegbor also point out that the ingredients for peace is trust, integrity and faithfulness urging them to have one voice. He also advised those giving arms to the youth to stop. And the youth on their own part to be wise and start thinking of alternative for development.