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Global Peace Foundation Trains Kaduna Community Leaders On Alternative Dispute Resolution
By Israel Bulus, Kaduna
A Non-Governmental Organisation, Global Peace Foundation (GBF), in collaboration with S.H Makeri Consult, has trained traditional and religious leaders in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).
Speaking at the training in Kachia, Rev. John Hayab, Country Director of GBF, said the essence of the exercise was to build the capacity of community leaders to become active instruments for resolving conflicts.
“Humanity cannot be separated from differences, and sometimes managing those differences may result in conflict.
“So, the idea is to empower our community leaders with the capacity to amicably resolve disputes within their domains,” he added.
Hayab noted that grassroots leaders needed to exhaust all available avenues to resolve disputes that often lead to violent conflicts in communities.
In his remarks, Sheikh Halliru Maraya, GBF’s Northern Co-ordinator, underscored the pivotal role of community leaders in shaping the destiny of their communities.
He expressed optimism that the training would enhance community leaders’ roles in promoting peace and stability within their domains.
Stephen Makeri, former Customary Court of Appeal President, Kaduna State, said adopting ADR practices will assist the Government in reducing the number of cases in courts.
According to him, the backlog of cases often leads to prolonged legal battles and dissatisfaction among the populace.
Also speaking, Dorcas Daniel, Director at the Multi-Door Courthouse, Kaduna High Court, harped on the importance of ADR in resolving disputes.
Daniel explained that ADR was time-saving, cost-effective, and ensured cordiality in relationships when compared to litigation.
She enjoined the participants to always promote reconciliation among parties through the use of mediation and other ADR mechanisms as the situation demands.
The participants were trained on ADR mechanisms, types of mediation as well as the Multi-Door Courthouse system and its approaches.
Usman Idris, a legal practitioner, presented a paper titled: The Role of Sulhu (Arabic term for reconciliation) in Contemporary Dispute Resolution.
Idris noted that Sulhu was a concept deeply rooted in Islamic teachings which emphasized the importance of resolving disputes in a just and peaceful manner.
On his part, Husseini Abdullahi, Vice-Chairman of Kachia, restated the council’s resolve to support initiatives aimed at fostering harmony and social cohesion.
The Agwom Kachia, Zamani Dogonyaro, who spoke on behalf of the community leaders, commended the organizers of the training for their peace-building efforts in the area.
Represented by Mohammed Buhari, the traditional ruler pledged to step down the training in communities within his domain using the district heads and other community leaders in attendance.
The Commander of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), Maj.-Gen. Folusho Oyinlola, has decried the influx of large number of cattle into Barkin Ladi Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau State.
Oyinlola, who doubles as the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division of the Nigerian Army, Rukuba, near Jos, said this on Tuesday during an engagement with stakeholders in Barkin Ladi.
He noted that the influx of the cattle was constituting a major security threat to the locality and the state in general.
According to him, the isolated attacks, farm destruction, and other illegal activities are as a result of the unhealthy development.
“I must express the concerns of security agencies about recent developments in parts of Barkin Ladi.
“There is a growing unease about the influx of large number of cattle into farming communities.
“While the movement of livestock in Barkin Ladi and indeed Pateau in general is not unusual, the scale and timings of this new influx raise legitimate security concerns.
“Unfortunately, this development has already resulted in adverse outcomes, including farm destructions, isolated attacks, and attacks on livestock.
“The impact of this action on food security, economic stability, and social harmony cannot be over emphasised,” he said.
The commander, who also expressed deep concerns over the recent killings in the locality, called on the stakeholders to unite and fashion out ways to end the violence.
He, however, promised to fish out the perpetrators of the heinous crime, who would be made to face the full wrath of the law.
Oyinlola explained that the stakeholders’ engagement was aimed at ensuring a successful and peaceful farming season in the locality.
“The faming season is already ongoing, and for many families, this is a period for securing their livelihood.
“Therefore, any disruption of farming activities now will have dire consequences for the rest of the year and beyond.
“To this end, this engagement is convened to hear from you, all stakeholders, to listen to your concerns,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the meeting had in attendance heads of security agencies, government officials, traditional and religious leaders, among others.(NAN)
The Catholic Church’s cardinals issued an urgent appeal for peace on Tuesday, one day before they retreat into the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel to elect a new pope.
In a joint statement, they called on all warring parties worldwide to “achieve a lasting ceasefire as soon as possible.”
The statement, released by the Vatican, said the cardinals note “with regret” that there has been no “progress in promoting peace processes in Ukraine, the Middle East and many other parts of the world.”
On the contrary, they said, attacks have intensified, especially against the civilian population.
The cardinals called for ceasefires “without preconditions and without further delay” in order to negotiate “the peace long desired by the affected populations and the whole world.”
They also appealed to believers, asking them to intensify their prayers for a just and lasting peace.
The statement was delivered during the General Congregation of the College of Cardinals, the last meeting of the cardinals before the start of the conclave.
Starting on Wednesday, eligible cardinals under the age of 80 are to vote to elect a successor to pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday at the age of 88.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says on Tuesday that more than 30-year difference in life expectancy between the richest and the poorest countries highlights global health inequities.
The global health body stated this in its ‘World Report on Social Determinants of Health Equity’ launched on Tuesday by its Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus.
The report revealed that where one was born could be the difference between living over three decades longer than someone else from a poorer country lacking safe housing, good educational opportunities and access to decent jobs.
According to the report, people in the country with the highest life expectancy will, on average, live for 33 years more than those born in the country with the lowest life expectancy.
It further revealed that lack of safe housing, good educational opportunities and access to decent jobs could be responsible for a reduction in life expectancy in both rich and poor countries alike.
“Our world is an unequal one. Where we are born, grow, live, work and age significantly influences our health and well-being,” said Ghebreyesus.
The report found that inequities in health were closely linked to degrees of social disadvantage and levels of discrimination.
“Health follows a social gradient whereby the more deprived the area in which people live, the lower their incomes are,” the UN global health agency said.
It stated that inequities’ were exacerbated in populations that face discrimination and marginalisation, such as Indigenous Peoples, who had lower life expectancies than their non-Indigenous counterparts.
According to the report, this is the case in both high and low-income countries.
The study was the first to be published since 2008 when the WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health released its final report.
The report laid out targets for 2040 for reducing gaps between and within countries in life expectancy, childhood and maternal mortality.
It showed that these targets were likely to be missed and in spite of a scarcity of data, there was sufficient evidence to show that health inequities were often widening.
“For example, children born in poorer countries are 13 times more likely to die before their fifth birthday than in wealthier countries.
“Moreover, modelling shows that the lives of nearly two million children annually could be saved by closing the gap and enhancing equity between the poorest and wealthiest sectors of the population within low- and-middle-income countries.”
Additionally, while maternal mortality declined by 40 per cent between the years 2000 and 2023, the majority of deaths, 94 per cent, still occurred in low and lower-middle-income countries.
WHO called for collective action to address economic inequality and invest in social infrastructure and universal public services.
The agency also recommended other steps, including overcoming structural discrimination and the determinants and impacts of conflicts, emergencies and forced migration. (NAN)