Sports ministry organises conflict resolution workshop for youths

The Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has organised a workshop on peacebuilding and conflict resolution for youth leaders and stakeholders in the North-Central geo-political zone in Jos.

In his address of welcome, Mr Solomon Dalung, the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, said the training was aimed at building the capacity of youths on alternative dispute resolution and other ways of curbing conflicts in the society.

Dalung, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of Ministry, Mr Adesola Olusade, added that the workshop would avail youths the opportunity to learn other means aside confrontational approaches in seeking redress and justice in the society.

“As you may be aware, it is now a global consensus that peaceful resolution of disputes and conflicts is a catalyst to peaceful co-existence, political stability and sustainable socio-economic development of any nation.

“This is why the government has prioritised the security of lives and property as one of its key agenda.

“The Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development designed this training workshop with the sole objective of building the capacity of young Nigerians on alternative dispute resolution mechanism, to enable our youths to learn other means as against the confrontational approach often adopted by many in seeking redress and justice.

“All over the world, young people who are experienced in alternative dispute resolution mechanism, transform the conflict they face into opportunities, meaning that they turn conflict into disagreement and disagreement into an agreement.

“So, the idea behind this workshop is to utilize the resourceful and innovative nature of Nigerian youths by harnessing their potential and providing the enabling environment for them to effectively broker peace in the face of conflicts in their communities.”

Dalung further said that the training would avail participants the necessary techniques in advocacy and arbitration, to enable them to become advocates, initiators, mediators and facilitators of a peace process and conflict resolution.

Declaring the workshop open, Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau admonished governments at all levels to make deliberate efforts to address the peculiar needs of youths in the society.

“The ability of the present leadership to reproduce itself in the younger generation must be seen in the quality of education, societal values, sense of industry and economic self-reliance it promotes among the youth in the country.

“Efforts must, therefore, be made to deliberately address all the peculiar needs and challenges that threaten the youths as a vulnerable group.

“Concerns such as the breakdown of family values, religious fanaticism and cult activities, drug abuse and alcoholism, poor education, unemployment, child abuse, cybercrime and host of others, must be addressed because they are fast eating up the youths and fabric of the society.”

Lalong, who was represented by Mr Rufus Bature, Secretary to the State Government, urged the participants to be attentive in the course of the three-day programme so as to maximize its advantages.

Mr Dickson Akoh, the National Commandant, Peace Corps of Nigeria, and Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Gyang Buba, delivered goodwill messages.