Minister of Water Resources Mrs. Sarah Reng Ochekpe has called on women and youths to desist from violence in whatever circumstance they find themselves. They are also encouraged to join the campaign of WAGEPEACE all over the country initiated by the National Orientation Agency(NOA). The campaign is aimed at encouraging Nigerians to imbibe non violent ways of settling disputes with the sole aim of preventing chaos in the society.
The Minister made the call when she received on advocacy visit, the Director General National Orientation Agency (NOA) Mr. Mike Omeri, OFR in her office in Abuja, on Thursday 19th February 2015.
The Minister urged all Nigerians, particularly women and youth to actively participate in the campaign of WAGEPEACE.
“ I am calling women and youths because they are true owners of Nigeria, we are at a point where some people want to create problems for Nigeria but I believe that women can stand to see that Nigeria is solidly one country”.
She added that “We cannot sit down and see few selfish people trying to destroy the country by heating up the polity and causing disaffection among us, it is important that we collectively put our hands and senses together to see what we can do to ensure peace in all parts of Nigeria.”
Speaking on water conflicts Mrs. Ochekpe said that the Ministry had since set up means of resolving differences among water users.
“ In the water sector we are very conscious of that, because water is one resource that is important for human survival but it is also a resource that can cause conflict, that is why in our own system we have Water Users Association in different communities to ensure that people are able to come together to dialogue on how to manage this very important resource”
In his remarks, the Director General NOA, Mr . Mike Omeri said that the essence of the programme was to sensitize general public on the need for peaceful co-existence and national integration among the citizenry of Nigeria.
The Hon. Minister of Water Resources and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Mr Itifanus Musa were decorated as Ambassadors of Peace in Nigeria
Boade Akinola
DD Press FMWR
