FG urged to establish North Central Development commission

Participants at a just concluded workshop in Makurdi have urged the federal government to establish North Central Development Commission (NCDC) in order to address the impacts of farmers-herders conflict in the zone.

Daily Trust reports that the 3-day workshop was organised by a non-governmental organisation called Search for Common Ground (Search) Nigeria, for practising journalists in Benue state as well as other stakeholders drawn from security agencies.

The participants also resolved that the creation of the commission would enhance post-conflict reconstruction of affected communities within the North Central zone.

“The people within the affected areas see the federal and state governments as seemingly not doing much to address these conflicts, especially the Middle-Belt violent conflicts occasioned by crisis between farmers-herders.

“Therefore, the state government should establish pilot ranch that could be put up for rent by interested prospective cattle rearers and herders. The pilot ranch could also serve as a source of revenue generation for the state,” the participants resolved.

Earlier at the opening session, Search’s Senior Programme Manager and Head of Office in Middle Belt, Olutoyin Falade, said the workshop aimed at talking about peace and security in Benue state.

Falade said the workshop focused on transforming the farmers-herders conflicts and promoting freedom of religion and beliefs in Nigeria’s Middle Belt would use the media to correct some of those narratives causing violence in the region.

She opined that participants at the workshop entitled, “Conflict Sensitivity Training for Journalists,” would at the end of the day gain more insight to enhance their reportage of conflict sensitive contents and countering hate speech, stereotype, biases and negative narratives which fuels violence.

Also speaking at the ceremony, the state’s Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Comrade Joseph Shimaor, stressed the need for media content to be correctly dished out so as not to mislead consumers of information.

The information commissioner added that the insecurity bedevilling Benue occasioned by the farmers-herders conflict requires mass effort to tackle headlong for absolute peace to prevail.

He however noted the readiness of his ministry to partner with Search on issues of conflicts in the state.