By Okechukwu Onuegbu
The United Nations Peace and Positive Living Awareness Centre (UN-PEPOLAC), on Saturday, inaugurated peace officers (State executives) and peace ambassadors to act as agents or cater.of peace, reform societies and resolve conflicts.
The new State officers led by Ambassador Anthony Uzor as Director were also enjoined to inaugurate others and collaborate with community leaders oo0 at Local Government Areas level and Ambassador Anthony Uzor.
Administering oath of allegiance to members, International Co-ordinator and Convener, UN-PEPOLAC, Ambassador Dr Ozioma Ozoemena charged them to become the beacon of hope, and beam the light that eliminate darkness, noting that God will bless and reward them richly when they make him proud as true peace advocates.
He emphasized that the programme would be replicated in all the 21 Local Government Areas of the state to ensure that message of peace permeates every nooks and crannies.
“We have planned to replicate today's event in all the local government areas of the state, which is the reason for inviting the Honorable Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Towns Union Matters to chair today's occasion with our invitations to the 21 local government mayors as partners in peace building and conflict management enterprise to the grassroots," he added.
International Coordinator also commended Anambra State governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo over his administration's renewed efforts towards combating crimes and criminalities through launch of operation udo gá-achị, a joint security network, and urged the citizenry to cooperates with him so as to get rid of insecurity in Anambra State.
He also commended the Governor for signing into law the Anambra State Peace Building, and Conflict Management Agency Law 2024, an instrument he posited to have motivated them to double efforts towards promoting peace advocacy, peace building, conflict management, and prevention.
Dr Ozoemena, while reflecting on theme for the programme, “Community Peace, Panacea for Societal Development," urged all to embrace peace so as to build a better society with meaningful development.
"Peace remains the medicine for societal development and we are strongly committed to the course of transforming our communities into peaceful and livable places. We should not expect the government to do everything and be everywhere. We are here to complement the efforts of the state government as pathfinder in peace building and conflict management,” he noted.
He recalled that peace remains the greatest treasure the world could have especially now it was under strife, even as he called for public support towards realisation of a multi purpose peace building and centre for conflict resolution.
Responding, the newly-appointed Director, UN-PEPOLAC, Anambra State Directorate, Ambassador Anthony Uzor, said they were committed to promoting peace and resolving conflicts from families, communities, local governments and state levels.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Anambra State Traditional Rulers Council, Igwe Chidubem Iweka, represented by the Traditional Ruler of Ifitedunu, Dunukofia Local Government Area, Igwe Emeka Ilouno, averred that royal fathers would continue to collaborate with UN-PEPOLAC to achieve lasting peace in the State.
On their parts, Prof Ken Nwuba and Nze Val Ugo-Akpe explained that peace would bring about unity and togetherness while atmosphere of strife and war scare away development.
In their separate goodwill messages, the State Commandant Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Maku Olatunde, represented on the occasion and the Assistant State Commandant, National Drug Law and Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Chris Adabo, pledged sustained support for the peace of Anambra state by discharging their duties with utmost sense of patriotism and responsibility.