By Praise Chinecherem
The United Nations has disclosed its plans to build its Peace and Conflict Centre in Anambra State through her international body known as United Nations Peace and Positive Living Awareness Centre (UN-POPLAC).
The organisation’s International Coordinator, Most Rev. Dr. Ozioma Ozoemena dropped the hint during a courtesy visit to the Managing Director of Awka Capital Development Authority (ACTDA) in Awka.
He said the Centre which would be the first in Southeast would serve as an Alternative Disputes Resolution Center where people would get judgement and disputes resolved.
According to Ozioma, the Centre which would be sited in Awka, the State capital, would serve as training ground, just as he described peace and conflict resolution as major focus of the organization with the aim of reducing conflicts in the country.
He stated, โThe peace centre is very important. We have a land in Awka which will be unveild during our upcoming peace and leadership seminar on May 25, 2024. The center is a multipurpose building situated at a strategic location and will serve as a court where people get judgement with disputes resolved.
โThe peace center will be a training ground, it will serve as international colleges of peace advocates in affiliation with other universities such as peace education, which will help curb social vices in the nation and also serve Awka and its immediate communities. Peace and conflict resolution is a major focus of UN- PEPOLAC”.
Receiving the team of United Nations Peace and Positive Living Awareness Center in his office, Managing Director of Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA) Mr. Ossy Onuko thanked the group for their resilience and dedication.
He applauded the laudable project embarked on by the body, urging leaders of the organization to extend their outreach to communities in disputes not as enforcement arm but to advocate for peace and alternative dispute resolution.
“There are so much the security agencies can do amidst violence in the state but the bulk of responsibility also lies on carrying out sensitization and finding solutions to issues of insecurity, restoring peace among communitie,” he added.
Earlier, traditional ruler of Ifitedunu in Dunukofia Local Government Area Igwe Emeka Ilouno commended Governor Chukwuma Soludo for putting up structures on ground and making Awka befitting capital city.
He said peace has been restored in waring communities through the organization, adding that Soludo’s second tenure was guaranteed.
