The Communal Support Foundation of Nigeria (COSFON) – a national non-governmental organization operating in Northeast Nigeria and based in Damaturu the Yobe State – has handed the Nguru Community Peace and Safety Partnership (CPSP) as well as the Nguru Community Accountability Forum (CAF) over to the community after years of mentoring.
WikkiTimes learnt that the CPSP and CAF are Early Warning Early Response (EWER) platforms comprising of community stakeholders that receive and respond to community safety and security issues so that they are not allowed to escalate into violence.
The Platforms meet monthly as part of activities designed to provide an inclusive, non-confrontational forum for discussing issues, identifying solutions and promoting actions.
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Both platforms are initiatives of the Managing Conflict in Nigeria (MCN) Programme implemented by the British Council with funding from the European Union.
It approaches and acts as a conduit between various agencies involved in conflict management, security and reconciliation at the community level.
Alhaji Mamman Shettima, COSFON Steering Committee Chairman who doubles as the Head of Administration of Nguru Local Government Area charged the community stakeholders to ensure the sustainability of both programs.
Similarly, COSFON also handed the same centre to Bade community with a view to averting conflicts from degenerating.
Dr. Shuaibu A. Agana, the Steering Committee Chairman, pledged to sustain the platform to ensure that Bade community continues to benefit from a rancor-free forum of conflict mitigation.
In addition, Bade Community Accountability Forum (CAF) platform was handed to a Steering Committee after years of mentoring. CAF was a replica of town hall meetings conducted in the southern parts of Nigeria.
It has no restrictions on attendance, while meetings are conducted in open public places every three (3) months, where emerging issues within communities are received in form of complaints or commendations in a manner of feedback from community members. Accepting the platform, Steering Committee Chairman Alh. Yerima Abba who is also the District Head of Gwio Kura thanked COSFON for mentoring a rancor-free alternative to dispute resolution in the community with a pledge to sustain it. Other stakeholders including the Local Government Council pledged to support the platform.
