By Awaal Gata
Abuja
Director General, Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Prof Oshita O. Oshita, has lamented that poor funding is making it difficult for researchers of the Institute to move into some states afflicted with conflicts for proper intervention.
Oshita said this yesterday at the Nigeria Consultative Conference on the international dialogue on peace-building and state-building.
The theme of the conference was: “Implementing the IDPS principles and instruments for sustainable peace in Nigeria.”
Oshita said the country had been witnessing with all forms of conflicts, from identity-driven conflicts, economic and political conflicts, to movement for self-determination, and also communal and other forms of socio-cultural conflicts.
According to him, “unfortunately, we are limited by resources and the necessary synergy to move into some of the conflicts affected areas with appropriate interventions.”
He advised on the need to back initiatives by research findings for the country to unravel the root causes of the interplay of forces that trigger conflicts.
“It is the sure way to achieving durable solutions for the conflicts that confront our society. This is why we consider the new deal for engagement in conflict affected states propounded by the IDPS very apt for a country like ours,” he said.
He observed that peace cannot be achieved by just a few people but with the cooperation and contributions of all and sundry, pointing out the need for the private sector to fully participate by supporting IPCR.