Sunday, 10 November 2024

PEACE CLUB FESTIVAL: HON. J.K CHRIS, CHAIRMAN, JOS NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA ASSURES OF SUPPORT FOR PEACE AND PEACE BUILDING EFFORTS


The Chairman, Jos North Local Government Area (LGA), Hon. J.K Chris, has assured organisers of the one day and one of a kind event in Nigeria: the Peace Clubs Festival, of his support; and collaboration for peace building efforts during his tenure as the Chief Executive, Jos North LGA. He made this assurance during the Jos North Peace Festival on Saturday, November 9th, 2024.

Speaking through Mr Mark his representative at the greatest school-based Teens and Youths oriented Peace Festival, the Chairman, Jos North LGA, assured organisers of the event: Local Emergency Preparedness and Response Team (LEPRT) Jos North LGA and Justice Development and Peace Commission, otherwise known as (JDPC) that his tenure in Jos North LGA, will witness massive support for Peace Building efforts, in particular, the LEPRT Jos North, and therefore, urged the team to remain focused and resolute in her work for peace. He encouraged LEPRT to promote peace and peace building efforts consistently, and called on the members to always embrace sustainable approaches to peace building. 

The LGA Chairman noted that the works of LEPRT are commendable, top notch and second to no other. Continuing, he informed the gathering that peace building is a top priority agenda of the Governor of Plateau state, Barr Caleb Mutfwang, and noted that his tenure as the Chairman, Jos North LGA, will apart from supporting peace building efforts will also work hard to ensure there will not be any breakdown of law and order in the LGA. He used the forum to call for support for peace and to work for peace. 

The 2024 Peace Club Festival which has as its theme “Substance Abuse: Threat to Sustainable Peace and Consolidation of Unity also had in attendance Director General Plateau Peace Building Agency, Ms Julie G Sandra who was the Key note Speaker. She was represented by Nanribet Longvwam, who through his presentation and very engaging approach and style of presentation delivered what is better described as apt, strong worded and tailor made message to the students on the theme of the festival.

Equally present at the 2024 Peace Club Festival is the Plateau state Zonal Director of Education, Northern Zone, Mrs Deborah Giwa who delivered a goodwill message.

The grooming and nurturing of the students in peace activities is done in the various schools through the Peace Club training activities and sessions hosted in the various Secondary Schools where the Clubs exist and operate. The weekly activities of the Clubs are conducted by the Club Patrons who are Teachers in the respective Schools and are supervised by the LEPRT members attached to the Schools. 

The activities of the Students, Teachers and LEPRT members are conducted on Pro-bono or volunteer basis, therefore, no payment is made to them. 

The Peace Club Festival, a special initiative of the Justice Development and Peace Caritas, Jos, Plateau state is facilitated by the Local Emergency Preparedness and Response Team (LEPRT) operating in the 17 LGAs of Plateau state. The Festival is organised annually by the LEPRT in each LGA and provides opportunity for the School-based Peace Clubs to demonstrate before a carefully selected team of peace building practitioners and other stakeholders in drama and other formats of creative literary activities their knowledge and understanding of the peace building lessons as contained in specially packaged peace building manuals extended to their respective schools and used for Peace Club training sessions by the Patrons in the schools. 

The Peace Club Festival is designed fundamentally to facilitate interaction and sharing of knowledge and experience of the students by bringing together the Peace Clubs in one location. The idea behind this exposure is to inspire, motivate and encourage the student trainee Peace builders, and strengthen their resolve to serve as a major driving force to peace building in the state. It serves also as a veritable Platform to showcase their skill, hunger and appetite, willingness, enthusiasm and commitment, unflinching believe and acceptance of the call to work for peace and to make significant difference in Peace building activities in the state. 

The Peace Club Festival is generally characterised by fun and entertainment and as a matter of fact it is competition driven. It is garnished with life renewing experiences, embedded with informative and educative ideas, and sweetened with various forms of entertaining packages designed to expose, appreciate and reassure the students and their hardworking Patrons that the path they have chosen is the right path and that the task is by all intent and purposes the trigger to enduring conflict resolutions, peaceful and harmonious co-existence in the state. It is fundamentally, a platform to as a matter of fact remind the students and their patrons that the path they have decided to go is a key and reliable strategy to highlight, direct and bring other people to re-consider their ways, approaches and roles towards peace building.

Please click the link below for more pictures of the Peace Club Festival

https://www.belfordscorelines.com/2024/11/pictures-opf-local-emergency.html?m=1

Nnabugwu Chizoba

No comments: