LG critical to Nigeria’s peace drive – IPCR boss
The Director-General of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, IPCR, Dr Joseph Ochogwu, has highlighted the importance of the local government authorities in entrenching peace in Nigeria. While speaking at a press conference to herald the commemoration of this year’s World Peace Day on Tuesday, he said the government at the grassroots must be […]
The Director-General of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, IPCR, Dr Joseph Ochogwu, has highlighted the importance of the local government authorities in entrenching peace in Nigeria.
While speaking at a press conference to herald the commemoration of this year’s World Peace Day on Tuesday, he said the government at the grassroots must be effective to solve problems at the lowest level.
“Our findings caught up with the issue of weak governance and the absence of governance at the local level.
“So, where those local governments are weak, or they are not in existence, then of course, other actors will come to play, violent actors will come to play in those local communities,” he said.
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While commending President Bola Tinubu for ensuring local government autonomy, he insisted that, “If local governments are not working, there is little or nothing more that the federal government and the state government can do to resolve the complexities of existence of human beings at the respective community level.
“And that is why I will use this particular occasion again to call that we must allow local governments to work in Nigeria, because that is the front line where people connect.
“We must empower local government to be able to deliver, because good governance itself is conflict prevention.”
With the occasion also marking the 25th anniversary of the IPCR, Dr Ochogwu highlighted how the institute had, over the years, built peace structures across the country.
He called on government at all levels to prioritise conflict prevention, invest in peace-building infrastructure and ensure that development policies are conflict-sensitive and inclusive.
He also urged religious and traditional leaders to use their influence to promote tolerance, understanding and reconciliation among their followers and communities.