NGO to train journalists on community based approach to curbing criminality in Niger Delta
The Search for Common Ground, a Non- Governmental Organisation (NGO), says it plans to train 35 journalists on community-based approach to curbing criminality in Niger Delta.
Mr Sunny Dada, the Information Management Coordinator of the NGO, said this in Warri on Monday.
Dada said the programme was being funded by the European Union (EU) through its Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) unit.
He added that the programme would hold for 18 months in Bayelsa Delta and Rivers.
Dada also said that the programme would be implemented in partnership with groups like the Stakeholders Democracy Network (SDN), Academic Associates Peace Works (AAPW) and Foundation Partnership Initiative in the Niger-Delta (PIND).
He said, however, that the Search for Common Ground was the major partner.
He also said the objectives was to empower diverse community actors to address social exclusion, lack of economic opportunity, and environmental degradation.
”Young women and men, especially at-risk and marginalised youth, will be empowered to make their voices heard in their communities and be resilient to calls for violence and criminality.
”Traditional and community leaders will build bridges within and between communities through participation in intergenerational dialogues, intercommunal cultural activities and dialogues, and community-based initiatives.
”Second, they will participate in both community, LGA-, and higher-level security architecture platforms, to inform bottom-up, participatory security processes in collaboration with other stakeholders.
”Government security actors will be engaged through tailored trainings on human rights, trust-building and social cohesion activities with communities, and involvement in local and LGA multi-stakeholder peace architecture structures and state and regional strategic dialogues,” he said.
Dada added:”Private actors including security actors employed directly by oil companies and those contracted to protect oil infrastructure will be trained on their responsibilities and best practices under the Voluntary Principles.
”Oil companies will participate in peace architecture bodies, state and regional strategic dialogues, as well as dialogues with communities and Host Community Development Trusts (HCDTs), contributing to greater accountability for the impacts of their operations in the Niger Delta.
”Civil society, including local-level women and youth groups will be engaged to ensure greater accountability and transparency in the extractive industry, while advocating for the rights and inclusion of these groups.”
Dada stated that the programme would focus on how to address violence, criminality, inter communal conflict, clashes, governance issue s, environmental degredation and militarization among others.
On her part, the Mass Media Information Management Officer, Search for Common Ground, Mrs Folashade Seyi-Oja, said that the training would equip media actors with the skills to critically assess and address conflict narratives in a conflict-sensitive manner.
“The training will equip media actors with skills that would help them foster inclusive and fact-based online and offline media ecosystems using the Common Ground Approach,” she said.
The training would feature lectures, identity, adversarial versus collaborative approaches, defining conflicts and violence among others, by National Media Specialist, Mr Temisan Etietsola.
