Members of Plateau Peace Media Network with Management of National Orientation Agency, Plateau State during a courtesy call.
By Marie-Therese Nanlong
Jos – The Plateau Peace Media Network,
PPMN has solicited the support of the National Orientation Agency, NOA in Plateau State to establish and strengthen channels for information sharing and escalating of early warning signals to elicit early responses by relevant stakeholders to foster peace and peaceful coexistence in communities in the State.
The Network while on a courtesy and advocacy visit on Wednesday to the Plateau State office of the Agency in Jos stressed the need for effective collaborations to propel peacebuilding efforts and drive transformation and unity across communities in the State.
The Coordinator of the Network, Matthew Tegha, who led other members on the visit to the Agency noted that attaining peace and peaceful coexistence requires the contribution of every community member hence the need for all to work together to achieve a secured future.
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According to him, “We seek not only to share our vision and initiatives as the Plateau Peace Media Network but also to explore opportunities for collaboration. By synergizing our respective expertise and resources, we can create a stronger foundation for a peaceful Plateau State, and by extension, a more united Nigeria.
“Your insights and guidance are invaluable to us as we navigate the path of peacebuilding through responsible media engagement. Together, we can inspire positive change, foster understanding, and promote peace for the generations to come.”
In her response, the State Director of NOA, Mrs. Kaneng Pam-Hworo, commended the coming on board of the Media Network given the roles its members play in the peace process in the State and gave her Agency’s commitment to collaborate with the Network to promote peace.
She stated, “Collaboration for peace is essential for every individual in the State irrespective of origin or religion. So we are ready to collaborate with your Network. Also, collaboration between the NOA and PPMN will bring more awareness to the activities the NOA is doing at the grassroots in building peace. We also need to involve capable individuals who have resources and a voice that can amplify peaceful coexistence in our future activities.”
Also, Mr. John Mamman, the State Deputy Director of NOA, emphasized the need for timely response to early warning signals to nip potential violence in the bud and maintained that there are always some pointers to violence which are sometimes ignored until they escalate to full-fledged crises.
He highlighted that incidents such as the recurring cases of kidnapping across various local government areas in the State need to be urgently addressed before worse things happen to citizens.
Among those who accompanied the Coordinator on the visit were the Network’s Secretary, Marie-Therese Nanlong, Assistant Secretary, Joseph Adudu, the Financial Secretary, Zainab Babaji, the Auditor, Gambo Dusu, as well as Peter Akpa, Olabisi Victoria, and Solomon Inusa.
