The Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) has inaugurated an eight-member Conflict Prevention Council in Onna Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, strengthening its community-based peacebuilding structure in the oil-producing area.
The inauguration, held on 26 September as part of a peacebuilding programme, also brought together about 30 participants from the four clans in Onna for training on mediation, early warning and early response mechanisms, and conflict management strategies.
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The programme was chaired by Emmanuel Ikpe, a criminology and peacebuilding consultant from Eket Local Government Area, who commended PIND for its sustained investment in peacebuilding across the Niger Delta.
Kufre Essien, PIND’s peacebuilding consultant, facilitated the capacity-building session.
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The eight members inducted into the council are the wife of the paramount ruler, Nwaowo Raymond Inyang, Etebom Itiat, Aniefiok Ekim, Friday Inyang, Imoh Eshiet, Maria Etuk, Regina Udonsek and Wilson Akpan.
The Paramount Ruler of Onna, Raymond Inyang, expressed appreciation to PIND for bringing the Prevent Council structure to the local government area.
He said the council would work with the traditional institution to prevent conflicts, promote peaceful coexistence and strengthen unity among the four clans.
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Mr Inyang pledged the traditional institution’s support toward sustaining peace and development in Onna.
Peace remains fragile
The inauguration comes against the backdrop of renewed calls for sustained investment in conflict prevention across Akwa Ibom.
PREMIUM TIMES reported on 22 September that the Akwa Ibom State Conflict Prevention Council described peace in the state as “relatively stable but fragile,” identifying land and boundary disputes, chieftaincy tensions and youth-related issues as continuing threats to peaceful coexistence.
The council said the relative stability in the state should not be interpreted as an absence of conflict risks and called for continuous investment in early warning and early intervention mechanisms.
It also said its interventions had helped prevent some community disputes from escalating, attributing part of its peacebuilding capacity to the technical, logistical and capacity-building support provided by PIND.
The council urged the Akwa Ibom State Government, traditional institutions, private companies, faith-based organisations, women and youth groups to increase their investment in peacebuilding.
The call is particularly relevant to communities facing disputes over land, resources and development.
Earlier this month, PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Akwa Ibom State Government intervened in a lingering land dispute involving the Mbak people, six host communities, Ibom Mortgage Bank, Citadel Value Homes and other stakeholders in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area.
The government asked the parties to embrace dialogue and avoid actions capable of threatening peace in the affected communities.
Onna’s peacebuilding challenges
Onna has also featured in recent PREMIUM TIMES reports on the environmental and socio-economic pressures confronting oil-producing communities.
In June, PREMIUM TIMES reported that stakeholders from Onna demanded stronger accountability from oil companies and regulatory agencies over gas flaring, environmental pollution and the implementation of host-community provisions under the Petroleum Industry Act.
The stakeholders said many residents are unaware of their rights under the law and called for greater community participation in decisions affecting their environment and livelihoods.
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The report followed an earlier PREMIUM TIMES investigation which documented the effects of persistent gas flaring in parts of Onna, including complaints from residents about heat, noise, air pollution and effects on fishing activities.
Against this background, the newly inaugurated council is expected to provide a local platform through which emerging disputes and tensions can be identified and addressed before they escalate.
PIND’s Prevent Council model relies on community leaders and other influential actors to identify early signs of conflict, facilitate dialogue and support timely responses.
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