OMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED AT THE END OF A TWO DAY TRAINING WORKSHOP ON PEACE NETWORK FORMATION UNDER THE PROJECT, “CONNECTING THE DISCONNECT FOR PEACE BUILDING AND ALTERNATIVE DISPUTES RESOLUTION (ADR) IN NIGERIA’S MIDDLE BELT REGION HELD AT THE GREENBELT HOTEL MAKURDI, BENUE STATE ON THE 8TH AND 9TH JUNE 2011.

Preamble

The training workshop organised by Women Environmental Programme (WEP), Abuja; drew participants from conflict prone communities of Adamawa, Benue, Niger, Plateau and Taraba States.

Participants applauded European Union and WEP for packaging such an elaborate workshop and finding them worthy for the high level integration into the peace building and conflict resolution process of their programmes.

The workshop further examined the issues related to formation, sustenance and maintenance of a network for peace building in the Middle Belt Region of Nigeria and also addressed the roles of youth and women in leadership. The workshop reviewed the concept of Advocacy, Lobbying for peace networks and a follow up action plan was formulated with recommended leaders. The underlisted were chosen across the five (5) states to form a Steering Committee for the activities of the peace network in the Middle Belt Region.

1.      Abigail Markus

2.      Ocheme Douglas

3.      Dehida Denis

4.      Haruna Salisu

5.      Juliana K Katso

6.      Laban Yiteso

7.      Kachi Douglas

8.      Abdullahi M Isah

9.      Chuwang N Sombot

10.  Alexander Ada Oya

11.  Kuti M G

12.  Akpoo Hannah  M

13.  Chundung M Pam

After exhaustive deliberations, the two day workshop came up with the following resolutions;

1.      The workshop in session resolved to form peace networks in the Middle Belt Region as a measure of intervening in conflicts within the region.

2.      The workshop called on participants from the various states to build and sustain Networks and coalition within their respective communities and organisation for effective intervention.

3.      Participants having identified the essence of Networking in peace building, agreed to maintain contacts that were established during the training across the participating states.

4.      The participants resolved to henceforth use Advocacy and Lobbying skills as a decision making process for addressing issues that affect their communities.

5.      The workshop in session encouraged gender mainstreaming in peace building processes.

6.      The workshop noted the overriding important roles of leadership in conflict transformation and resolution. Consequently, participants encouraged leaders to exhibit leadership qualities that would promote and protect the human dignity.

Communiqué Drafting Committee

Jemima A. Lazarus     -           Chairman

Nick Ahor                   -           Member

Chris Ochepa              -           Member

Chief Michael Agbese            -           Member

Dahida Dennis                        -Member

Umar Samda Abdullahi         -Member

Iorliam Shija               -           Member/Secretary