…Harps On Social Inclusion

By Udeme Hosea

 USAID Nigeria, State Accountability, Transparency, and Effectiveness (State2State) activity has emphasized the importance of social inclusion in governance, recognizing it as a crucial factor in achieving effective service delivery and promoting peace.

 Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2-day State2State Quarterly Conflict Mitigation and Preservation Dialogue, held at Havilah Hotels and Towers in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, from December 9-10, 2024, the State Team Lead, Mr.Borve Paago- Imabel, emphasized the need for inclusive leadership, noted that, good governance is essential in resolving conflict issues in the society.

He thanked participants for driving policies of social inclusion and resolving conflicts through dialogue, urged Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to focus on citizen needs for improved service delivery.

Mr. Cosmos Dinee, State2State Conflict Specialist, while facilitating a technical session on conflict issues identified in the last quarter and their impacts on the peace and stability of the state, highlighted incidences of land disputes, communal clashes, and protests as violent conflicts that negatively impacted citizens in the last quarter.

The two-day workshop reviewed progress on implementing action plans, appraised the Local Government Area elections, and discussed women’s participation in conflict prevention and mitigation.

At the end of the workshop, stakeholders recommended mitigating and preventing reoccurrence of violent conflicts to strengthen stability of the state for effective service delivery and develop action plan to address emerging key drivers of conflict to minimize escalation .