Concerned with the rate of unemployment and idleness among youths living in the rural communities of Warri, Delta State, a not for profit outfit, Morgan Smart Development Foundation (MSDF) has sponsored the inauguration of  a Youths for Peace Network  (M-YPN) in the State.

Dedicated to the empowerment of rural and urban poor women and youths in Nigeria for poverty reduction, employment generation and sustainable socio-economic development in Nigeria the body launched its project which aims at lifting the rural youths from poverty.

M-YPN is a Youth Organisation comprising selected young men and women from some communities in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State, who are to act as peace ambassadors in their communities, preaching and advocating the need for peace building and non-violent approach to conflict resolution.

According to the Foundation Chairman, Dr Omawumi Urhobo  activities of the body which will be self-driven, will recieve support from the Morgan Smart development foundation, will constantly monitor activities in their communities to identify potential violent situations and serve as whistle blowers to help nip in the bud, potential crisis situations before they escalates to full blown violence in their communities. This they will do by contacting the authorities at the local government level.

The Inauguration ceremony had in attendance the Chairman Warri South Local Government Council Mr Austin Uroye, the Manager Peace4Peace PIND Foundation Collins Imoh , the Director Ideal Women Advancement Initiatives Mrs Bridget Affiah amongst other dignitaries present at the ceremony.

In his key note address, Imoh, spoke on the urgent need to change the Niger Delta legacy of conflict and non-violence, by adopting a non-violent approach to conflict resolution, peace building objectives and principles. He also emphasised the necessity for a change in orientation before the potentially violent situation in the Niger delta during the 2015 elections and the end of the amnesty program in the Region. He used a visual presentation to depict how various crisis situations are in avertedly engineered, and how they could be resolved without resorting to violent.

Welcoming dignitaries, Dr Urhobo narrated her own personal experience during the crisis that consumed Warri in early 2002/2003 and advised that build bridges across our differences in the area, guarantees a legacy of non-violence for the future generation of the People. She said violence arises most of the time from communication breakdown.

Urhobo highlighted the benefits of membership of the youths Network M-YPN to includes training in peace and conflict resolution with knowledge to be acquired on all necessary peace building tools that can be used to engender the peace process, additional skill acquisition/training opportunities for members, having the platform for the youths to contribute to national discuss on youth policies and development, access to the MSDF library, access to micro loans and computer trainings amongst others. To kick start the opportunities opened to members of the Network, one youth from each community.

Source: Daily Independent