From Kenechukwu Obiajuru, Yenagoa
The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has emphasised the importance of peace in achieving sustainable development in the Niger Delta region.
The NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku stated this during a capacity-building programme for Niger Delta Stakeholders on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and Inclusive Peace and Sustainable Development in Port Harcourt.
Ogbuku, who was represented by the Chief of Staff, Rev. Julius Oworibo, noted: “This workshop for stakeholders in the region is for us, on how to manage ourselves and our relationships in the region. Without peace, the Commission’s developmental efforts cannot thrive. The NDDC has been commissioning projects in different states in the region. This is as a result of the peaceful terrain being maintained by the diverse groups in these states.”
Highlighting the importance of proactive dispute management, he stated, “I am impressed with the array of regional leaders represented here. This workshop is a step further in maintaining the already established peace. There is a symbolic shift from agitation to dialogue. The days of agitation are over; we are now in the era of alternative dispute resolution.”
In his remarks, the NDDC Acting Director of Dispute and Conflict Resolution, Barrister Godwin Ogedegbe, reiterated that alternative dispute resolution was crucial to sustainable development. “We are gathered here with a shared commitment to harness the power of alternative dispute resolution as a critical instrument for sustaining peace, unlocking development and advancing the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President across the Niger Delta and beyond.
“The Renewed Hope Agenda is not just an abstract slogan but a social contract – a covenant that binds leadership to the people and the nation’s future. The theme of this workshop calls us to reflect deeply on what has worked, what must be reinforced and how we can leverage ADR to translate policy intentions into tangible, peaceful, and prosperous outcomes for communities that have borne the brunt of conflict for far too long,” he noted.
In his keynote presentation, the Executive Director, African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development, Dr Otive Igbuzor, noted that the workshop with the theme: “Fostering Lasting Peace Through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR): Lessons from the Past, Building Future Opportunities to Advance the Renewed Hope Agenda in Nigeria” was timely and significant for several reasons.
He noted: “The current administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda emphasises inclusiveness, security, and sustainable development, which are objectives that cannot be achieved without lasting peace. ADR, with its focus on mediation, negotiation, arbitration, and conciliation, provides innovative and culturally relevant tools for addressing the Niger Delta’s conflict landscape. It not only helps decongest formal courts but also restores relationships, fosters reconciliation, and creates an enabling environment for development.”
Speaking on the subtheme: “Deepening a Culture of Dialogue and Mediation: Integrating ADR into Traditional Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding Processes.”, the National Coordinator, West Africa Network for Peacebuilding, WANEP, Dr. Bridget Osakwe, underscored the value of blending ADR with traditional conflict resolution.
“Integrating ADR with traditional conflict resolution and peacebuilding involves leveraging dialogue and mediation methods and offers a pathway to communities’ trust while improving fairness, inclusion, and follow-through,” she noted.
