EU Funded SCGN Trains Bayelsa Youths on Alternate Dispute Resolution

Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa

In continuation of its community-centered approach to transforming and preventing criminality and violence in the Nigeria Delta, a non-governmental organisation, Search for Common Ground Nigeria (SCGN), organised a two-day workshop for youths in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.

In partnership with Stakeholders Democracy Network (SDN) and The Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) funded by the European Union (EU), the workshop is a continuation of SCGN peace building process in the Niger Delta region.

The two-day workshop tagged: ‘Refresher Peer Exchange for Youth Inclusion and Participation in Decision Making’, according to Kengkeng Ati, Capacity Building and Training Officer, SCGN, the workshop was to train youths on using alternative dispute resolution to address communal conflicts.

According to him, “We are purely a peace building organisation, 100 percent peace building  and our approach is common ground which is purely alternative dispute resolution.

“Young people are going to learn more of that today; we are going to have another with their community leaders when their training comes. We have shared with other youths across the region previously and we are still going to do it again.

“We have done it again with the security and law enforcement agent. Imagine a scenario where a security and law enforcement officer is holding an AK47, but the words that are coming out of his mouth are not aggressive or forceful. They are more of appealing and suggesting of good conduct requesting a balanced attitude from the people he or she is policing.

“That shows you that there is a normalisation, a change in attitude, behavioral change, communication coming in gradually, it can’t come at once, it’s a gradual process and once we are done, we are going to do a fresh assessment to see how far we have gone and when and where we need to improve upon and what to throw away.”   

Ati disclosed that Search for Common Ground Nigeria also has an economic livelihood component for those rehabilitated from criminality and violence in order to get them meaningfully engaged.

According to him, “There is community level and individual level interventions aimed at capturing the entire community ecosystem to ensure reduction in tension, criminality and violence.

“We are also having an economic livelihood component of this project where we are going to pick people out of violence and criminality and get them gainfully employed.

“For instance, you cannot reduce tension or criminality and violence by stopping somebody who is into illegal refining without giving him something to do.

“So, communities have come together to identify projects that could be done at community level, then we are doing individual level intervention for economic level , something that will make you engaged and make you money.”

A participant, Miss Jane Idobozi, from Sampou, Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, said the NGO has been invaluable in reducing drug abuse and land disputes in the community.

Other participants who spoke, Odom Perekibina and Eminike Emmanuel, lauded the EU-funded programme, saying it has changed their way of thinking and approach to issues.

The participants were drawn from three focal states of Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers States for the workshop which came on the heels of a multi-stakeholder engagement involving security agencies, traditional rulers, local government officials, and community and youth leaders.

The programme covers two communities in each of the local government areas in the three focal states.