An NGO, Oxfam, has organised a two-day training on Early Warning Early Response (EWER) mechanism toward tackling electoral violence for selected stakeholders from Jos North and Jos South Local Government Areas of Plateau.
Declaring the training open on Friday in Jos, Dr Vincent Ahonsi, the Country Director of Oxfam in Nigeria, said that the training is part of projects tagged ”Strengthening Mechanism for Early Warning Response to Electoral Violence”.
He explained that the project , funded by Start Network, currently being implemented in Plateau and Kano State, aimed at creating sustainable early warning and warning response systems that would mitigate escalation of conflicts in communities
Ahonsi said that the exercise aimed at promoting peaceful coexistence and harmony in communities before, during and after elections.
”I am pleased to welcome you all to this two-day training on EWER system.
”This training aims at Strengthening community capacity to adopt mechanisms that promote peaceful co-existence, understanding the triggers of violence, mitigation measures and build trust among various stakeholders within communities in Kano and Plateau states.
”It is anticipated that the capacity of stakeholders across communities which have been built on will translate to sustainable measures towards peaceful co-existence and more resilient communities in the face of triggers of violent conflicts.
”I hope the skills and competency these participants will acquire will result to more enlightened and resilient communities where conflicts are mitigated, and peace achieved,”he said.
The country director maintained that the project is being implemented in collaboration with the Center for the Advocacy of Justice & Rights (CAJR) and Centre for Human Rights and Social Advancement (CEFSAN).
In a brief welcome address, Mr Daniel Audu, the Project Coordinator of Oxfam, said that participants at the training were drawn from Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs), religious and traditional leaders, Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), Youth and Women groups, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), the media among others.