The former Chief of Army Staff, General Martin Luther Agwai (rtd), has called for an end to all the wars and conflicts around the world, saying war is costly, devastating and hinders any form of progress.
General Agwai spoke on Tuesday at a conflict sensitivity workshop and retreat for senior government officials organised by the Plateau Peace-Building Agency (PPBA) in partnership with Middle Belt Brain Trust (MBBT), and the Institute for Integrated Transitions and funding support from UK FCDO.
Agwai who is the chairman of MBBT said a case in point is the war between Israel and Palestine, as well as that of Lebanon, which according to him is not only costing lives and properties, but in terms of rebuilding the war-torn zones/nations, it often costs fortunes.
He stressed that those wars are preventable in the first place, adding that the popular saying that ‘if you want peace’, you must be ready for war’, is misleading, and that the right saying should be ‘if you want peace, you should be ready for peace’.
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“The world today is facing numerous conflict challenges; from the Middle East to Sub Saharan Africa. Extremism and unhealthy rivalry are becoming the norm. With the increasing connectivity and reach, people have become copycats of violent acts.
“According to the Pathways for Peace, the joint 2018 United Nations and World Bank report on preventing conflict concludes that for each US$1 invested in prevention, about US$16 is saved down the road.
“Resources that would have been used to advance the development and comfort of the people are diverted to resolving conflicts. It is for this reason the Middle Belt Brain Trust (MBBT) was formed. To mitigate contemporary conflict and governance challenges concentrated in Benue, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Plateau and Taraba states.
“As part of our strategy, we work in partnership with state governments and her institution to implement a locally initiated and locally led approach,” he said.
In his remarks, the Plateau State governor, Caleb Mutfwang, said there is need to do everything to mitigate conflict, adding that misrepresentation of facts and mischief promote conflicts.
The governor explained that conflict is a daily occurrence in any society, but that there is a way and manner it could be effectively tackled by all and sundry desirous of peace without prejudice and bad intent.
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