From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) in collaboration with Peace Action for Rapid and Transformative Nigerian Early Response (PARTNER) as decried the weak and inadequate early warning systems in Nigeria with a call on stakeholders in the peace building efforts to deploy the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for improved Early Warning and Early Response (EWER), to mitigate conflicts and achieve sustainable peace in the country.
The call was made in Makurdi at a dialogue meeting with Early Warning Response Group (EWRG), and other stakeholders on the use of ICT Devices and EWER Application for Reporting and Conducting Response in Benue State.
The dialogue was one of the series of activities under the PARTNER project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and implemented by a Consortium of partners led by Mercy Corps.
Welcoming participants, the Director General (DG) of IPCR, Dr Joseph Ochogwu, expressed concern that EWER system in Nigeria has been disjointed and less collaborative, saying “many agencies work in silos,” a development he said has created noticeable gaps for effective response to early warning.
He also expressed worry that in many instances, early warning reports and information are not responded to, or sometimes, the response comes too late to prevent violence and in some occasions, citizens do not know which security agencies to send early warning information to. This and other challenges inspired the establishment of the Peace Structure at the national and selected states.
In order to achieve a robust, effective, and coordinated response to early warning, Ochogwu said the IPCR and PARTNER have adopted the use of technology to enhance conflict prevention strategy in EWER.
The DG who was represented by represented by Head of EWER unit, Dr Oboshi Agyeno, said the capacity enhancement program was a deliberate efforts by IPCR and PARTNER to engage with stakeholders to improve the EWER system in Nigeria.
He therefore urged the participants to acquire the knowledge to use the ICT App for effective response to early warning in the state for a sustainable peace in the state and Nigeria as a whole.
The Lead Facilitator, Steve Agbo, of the IPCR who is also the Coordinator of PARTNER project team in the institute explained that the meeting was to train participants on how to use the digital tools for conducting response and reporting.
Agbo who noted that peace building stakeholders’ responses to early warning signals are weak and inadequate due to lack of coordination among stakeholders and policy makers, civil societies and local actors said there was urgent need to develop conflict prevention and management mechanisms to enhance political stability, peace and human security in Nigeria.
According to him, the PARTNER project is all about implementing early warning in North Central and North Western Regions of Nigeria in order to bring down the level of violent conflicts in those areas.
He noted that “In the course of implementing the PARTNER project, various peace structures have been established from the national to the local level. At the community level, we have early warning monitoring and reporting group and then, we have component response community based reconciliation committees, and gender focal persons at that level who are to interface with the early warning groups also established at the state level.
“This group are supposed to in turn, interface with national early warning response team to ensure that there’s coordination among the stakeholders for effective prevention of conflicts and achievement of sustainable peace in Nigeria.
Agbo who urged response officers to keep the record of conflict in Benue state, know the causes and flashpoints said they act immediately they notice indicators to protect civilians by involving strategic communication to reduce “bullet to bullet” risk.
Participants were trained on how to report issues to PARTNER’S situation room through toll free mobile number 080000666666, SMS number 08064537091 or https://partner-ewers.org.
On behalf of the participants, a representative from the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Martha Akoje, appreciated IPCR, PARTNER and the resource persons for the knowledge and assured that it would be put into practice for permanent peace would return to Benue state.
Speaking, a participant and Conflict Early Warning Indicator Monitor (CEWIM) under Inclusive Action for Peace, Health, Empowerment and Development (IAPHED), Mr Tim Torjir, commended the initiative of using ICT to report and respond to conflict issues saying it will ensure a coordinated response and mitigation of conflicts in the country.
