By Hassana Yakubu
Kaduna – A Non-Governmental Organisation, Strategic Empowerment and Mediation Agency (SEMA), on Friday, said it had concluded arrangements to implement a pilot project on mass atrocities to build a safe community in Kaduna.
The Executive Director of the organisation, Mr Samie Ihejirika, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna that the programme would be implemented in Zone 1 and Zone 3 areas of the state on pilot basis.
“This will start in a community called Ondom. We have started meeting with the people, paid advocacy visits and the next thing is to organise town hall meetings on how the people can make their communities safer.
“The NGO will show a drama programme to show the challenges of politics in our communities and how to address them.
“We have a group of youths who are trained in conflict management and democracy building. We formed them into groups called `Vanguard for Peace and Democracy’ in each of the three senatorial district of the state.
“We trained those youths to go into local government areas in their zones to implement training programmes on democracy.
“They will also handle conflicts, organise town hall meetings to discuss issues and challenges in the different communities in terms of what is required with democracy and peace in the areas.
“We also paid advocacy visit to community leaders, traditional rulers and business people on peace in their areas.”
He explained that those who were directly involved in the crisis in Southern Kaduna would come together and discuss ways to solve their problems and bring lasting peace.