Nasarawa state government in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is working on a bill seeking to establish agency for peace building and conflict resolution to be presented to the state house of assembly for consideration.
At a brainstorming session on the draft copy of the proposed bill in Lafia, Friday, Special Adviser to governor Abdullahi Sule on non-governmental affairs and development partners, Munirat Abdullahi, said the state government was committed towards entrenching lasting peace to pave way for development.
She called on stakeholders at the meeting to be articulate and objective in making their inputs on the bill in view of its importance to the people of the state.
She said the bill if passed into law, would provide a platform where conflicts could be nipped in the bud through dialogue to enhance sustainable peace and harmonious coexistence among diverse groups in the state.
Presenting a draft copy of the proposed bill, a consultant for the UNDP, Professor Alabi Mojeed, said the draft was generated from consultations with different groups across the 13 local government areas of the state.
Professor Mojeed said the bill paid attention to issues of gender based violence, farmers herders clashes, ethnic and communal clashes among others.
The meeting drew participants from over 40 different civil society groups in the state including religious and community leaders, women and youth groups, traders as well as national association of women journalists and the security.