The 14th District Governor of Rotary International, District 9125, Rotn Goddy Nnadi, Friday, disclosed that his district had obtained the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) to build a peace centre in Jos, the Plateau State capital.
The centre, he explained, would serve as a place where people would be trained on how to avoid conflict, just as he disclosed that the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Mohammed Musa Bello, had also approved land for the construction of the Rotary centre.
Nnadi spoke during the opening ceremony of the 14th District Conference by Rotary District 9125 and Rotaract District 9125 held in Abuja.
He said: “The club only has one Peace Centre in Africa, and it is in Uganda. So, ours will be the second one. We have applied with the government of Plateau State, and the governor has approved it and just last week, we were issued the C of O. The center is going to be a training ground as peace is one of the focuses of the club.
“You know the Rotary has a peace arm. Peace and conflict resolution are a major focus of rotary events. We are going to develop a peace centre where people would be trained. We would train people to make sure we avoid conflicts. Make sure we maintain peace in our neighbourhoods, communities and country.
“The district now has two properties in Nigeria. The minister of the FCT has graciously approved a piece of land where we are building the Rotary centre which we are hoping would become the zonal headquarter of the club in Africa. Sir Emeka Offor has built a hall there for us, whom we are now using for our events and we have fenced the property’’.
The DG also said despite the Rotary Foundation not meeting its $1million target, it had contributed $570,000 to the Rotary Foundation, and commend all the clubs under the district for embarking on and completing ‘prodigious’ projects during the year.
Also speaking, the President of Rotary International, Rtn Jennifer Jones, said there was a need to build fellowships with new friends who share a common passion and engage in inter-country committees, Rotary friendship exchanges, Rotary Fellowships, as well as build life-long Rotary members.
Jones, who was represented by the Past District Governor, Rtn Ijeoma Pearl Okoro, also called on clubs and districts to engage on projects that focus on women and girls and the numerous challenges that they face.
