From Owen Akenzua, Asaba
Delta State government has attributed the long-standing peace enjoyed within the state to the institutionalisation of peace building systems.
Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Kingsley Emu made this known on Tuesday during a courtesy visit by Search for Common Grounds, a non-governmental organisation championing community centred approach to transforming criminality and violence in the Niger Delta.
The SSG noted that with the presence of crude oil in some communities, alongside the orientation of the people, there had been increased boundary tension, community development association crisis and other disagreements among communities, but with the peace building platforms set up by the state government, these tensions have been lessened and is responsible for the high peace rating in the state.
He added that most communal crisis are not because the people are aggressive or solely dependent on oil, but because their basic means of livelihood, being their farmlands had been polluted with the people left with no other option for their livelihood but to depend on oil for survival.
Emu called for collaboration between the organisation and the state government so that the peace initiatives could be harmonised to give it a broader perspective.
Earlier, leader of the delegation, Dr Philip Kalio commended the state government for the peace and security currently being enjoyed in the state which he said aligns with the objectives of the programme.
He stated that without peace, there would be no meaningful development, adding that the stability seen in Delta State is much more than what they saw in other states.
