EU-funded SDN Seeks Ways to End Communal Feuds in Bayelsa 

Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa

A European Union ((EU) funded Non-governmental Organisation (NGO), Stakeholder Democratic Network (SDN) has advocated peaceful dialogue as the best option to resolve disputes among communities in Bayelsa state.
At a three-day training for community leaders and opinion drivers in Bayelsa communities which ended at the weekend, participants drawn from seven communities converged at the Ebitari hotel, Yenagoa, to dialogue on ways to foster peace in the communities.
Funded by the European Union and implement by the SDN in partnership with the Search for Common Ground Nigeria (SCGN) and the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND), the programme is part of efforts by the EU and it’s implementing partners to end the incessant communal crises in the Niger Delta.
Speaking on the project with the theme: ‘Intra Communal Transformative Dialogue’ the Deputy Programme Manager, SDN, Mrs. Ifeoma Ndekwu, said the objective of the programme was to see how it can help foster peace amongst communities in the Niger Delta.
She said that in the end, the communities are able to resolve underlying issues that if not addressed could lead to conflict or violence.
“On this project we are able to address issues, support the communities in addressing issues that if not properly handled could lead to violence and conflict among these communities and for communities that don’t have issues of conflict or violence, let’s see how we can foster greater peace with their neighboring communities.
“The way this activity is designed in such a way that they would be the ones to identify the issues and also identify the solutions. Our job is to facilitate and help them articulate these issues properly,” she added.
She said for this phase of the project,  Imirigi and Otuasega in Ogbia Local Government Area, Sagbama and Agbere in Sagbama Local Government Area and Nedugo, Agbia and Gbarantoru in Yenagoa Local Government Area will be involved.
One of the participants, the Paramount Ruler of Gbarantoru community, Chief Igonia Dakolo, praised the EU and its implementing partners for the project.

He said the project had improved the need for dialogue and resolution of any conflict situation in order to avoid violence.

He said: “We need to be fair, we need to be just, we need to try as much as we can to accommodate each other in a common ground so that there will be peace in our community.

“If that is not done with the present trend there’s a possibility that most communities may end up having serious issues even like mine, there are issues in my community but I try as much as I can to manage those processes so that the community will not be on fire,” he said.