INSECURITY IN NORTH EAST: Strategy workshop holds in Abuja to reduce biolence

A one-day workshop geared at reducing all forms of violence and work with governments and communities to end conflict and insecurity especially in the North East has taken place in Abuja.

The workshop which is sponsored by TETFUND in collaboration with the Institute for Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ibadan has as its title ” Developing Standards for Monitoring, Assessment and Evaluation of Peace and Conflict Management Projects in Nigeria.

In his welcome address, Prof . Tajudeen Àkànjí, who is the Principal Investigator and Director of the Institute gave the project background as increase in interest in conflict prevention and peace building activities especially in the North East.

Àkànjí said several post conflict peace building efforts are ongoing in the North Eastern part of the country where insurgency has festered with serious socioeconomic, political and human security consequences.

The Professor of Peace and Conflict studies submitted that despite the existence of numerous post -conflict peace building activities in the region, questions still persist as to the successes or effectiveness of the various projects and programs of existing local , regional and international humanitarian interventions.

Àkànjí noted that the question of how to measure successes or what failed to work, therefore deserve urgent attention, not only for researchers and scholars but also for practitioners.

“It becomes necessary to commission this research in order to gain a better understanding of the specific issues”, he said.

“We are by this workshop gathered here to find a common ground on instruments and tools for developing standards for monitoring, assessment and Evaluation of Peace and Conflict Management Projects in Nigeria”, he stressed.

Highlights of the workshop include a lecture by Prof. Gbenga Adéwálé on designing instrument for measurement and evaluation in humanitarian action in the North East.

Others include a presentation by Prof. Patricia Donli on understanding methods, standards and strategies for humanitarian interventions in the North East.

Participants were drawn from the academicians, researchers, media, the civil society groups and NGOs as well as some Foundations.

The workshop is part of 2019 National Research Fund project grant to a research team from the Institute For Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ibadan.