By SOLOMON NDA-ISAIAH
The Institute For Peace And Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Soccer For Peace Foundation (SPF) have called on Nigerians, international bodies, partners and stakeholders to embrace peace to ensure the actualisation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Commemorating the United Nations International Day of Peace in Abuja, the Institute and stakeholders underscored the importance of taking action to achieve this year’s theme which is “Action for Peace: Our Ambition For #The Global Goals”.
The Director General, IPCR, Dr Joseph Ochogwu said the Institute was founded with the aim to promote peace and fight against violence.
He said said the International Day of Peace is a call to action against elements that disturb the peace and hamper meaningful development.
The guest lecturer, Dr Mathew Ogwuche of the National Open University ( NOUN) who spoke on “Renewed Hope Agenda: Strategies For Enhancing Peace In Present Day Nigeria”, said there is a nexus between a conscious economy that is able to improve the quality of life of the people and the peace and stability of the system and built on 15 areas covering national security, economy, education and infrastructure.
Ogwuche said all these if implemented would be able to renew the hope of Nigeria. He however stressed on the need for economic collaboration for social cohesion that will improve improve Gross Economic Product (GDP), reduce unemployment and address issues to redirect Nigeria.
He noted that if the policies are activated, the economy will grow exponentially and it will be able to improve the quality of life of Nigerians. He said the Tinubu administration hope to address these challenges of security through kinetic and non-kinetic.approaches.
On his part, the keynote speaker, Dr Ira Helfand, a Noble Peace prize recipient and the immediate past president for the Prevention of Nuclear War, who spoke on the topic “Action For Peace: Strategies For Enhancing Aid In Nigeria” said there are factors and strategies for enhancing aids to Nigeria which can only happen through global peace.
He warned that there are factors that increase war that must be discouraged. He said the increasing rivalry between the United States andRussia had the potential to blow into a crisis that could distabllise the world and ruined peace effort already put in place if not checked.
The chairman of the ceremony who is also the pioneer DG of the Institute, Professor Sunday Ochoche, reiterated that investment for peace cannot be overemphasized. He said government needs to take action to negotiating peace through policy redirection. He added that researches need to be strengthened to engage government in policy making decisions.
