LHI Urges Zamfara Communities To Embrace Peace Dialogue

An NGO, Life Helpers Initiatives (LHI) has called on communities in Zamfara State to embrace dialogue in order to promote peace building and understanding in their communities.

The State Project Manager of the NGO, Dr Yakubu Lawali Gusau made the call in Gusau at a-day leaders meeting for commitment of communities on sustainability.

Dr Lawali Gusau said the meeting was part of the activities of the project to promote Peacebuilding and Social Cohesion implemented in the state by the LHI in partnership with International NGO, Secours Islamique France (SIF).

He said: “the one-year project implemented in four local government areas: Gusau, Tsafe, Anka, and Talata Mafara”.

He added that the project aimed to enhance peacebuilding across the state.

He further said that the major topic of discussion in the meeting was sustainability and stakeholders commitment to the principles community dialogue.

“Our major target is how stakeholders would sustain the effort in maintaining dialogue to enhance peacr.

“The participants of the meeting comprised stakeholders, community leaders, traditional and religious leaders and representatives of government agencies,” he noted.

According to him, the project’s objectives is contributing to peacebuilding and social cohesion through community dialogue.

“The project achieved its goals in promoting peacebuilding and social cohesion.

“We set-up community ward level peace committees.

“We trained peace ambassadors selected from various communities,” he explained.

He added that through the efforts of our community ambassadors, they had successfully resolved over 200 identified conflicts cases through the dialogue.

“We conducted various activities under this project, especially sensitising the general public through radio phone-in programs and other media outfits.

“We also carried out several peace building events for local communities and other stakeholders.

“We appreciate the contributions of the participants for all the successes recorded under this project,” he further said.

The Programme Manager called on the all stakeholders to sustain the community dialogue in their respective communities even without the intervention of NGOs, development partners.

He also called on government at all levels to initiate various projects for community dialogue with aim to achieve sustainable peace and stability in the society.

“Many stakeholders who contributed in this meeting resolved that community leaders played a crucial role in tackling various challenges especially through the dialogue.