ActionAid Nigeria has appealed to Nasarawa State Government to create a budget line to institutionalize and sustain the structures established by the NGO towards addressing violent extremism in the state.
ActionAid Nigeria is currently implementing the Systems and Structure Strengthening Approach against Radicalization to Violent Extremism (SARVE II) project in the state.
Mr. Aliyu Adamu, state Programme Officer, Actionaid Nigeria SARVE II project, made the call on Thursday in Lafia during a one-day advocacy engagement with duty bearers.
Adamu, who disclosed that the SARVE II project would come to end on December 31, 2021, stressed the need for the state government to sustain the programme through funding.
According to Adamu, the funding will enable critical stakeholders in State Conflict Management Alliance to carry out their duties effectively with a view to reducing insecurity.
He said the programme being implemented by ActionAid Nigeria in partnership with Global Peace Development and Beacon Youth Initiative, with funding support from the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund ( GCERF) had recorded huge successes.
He said the organization had established the Community Action Response Team ( CART), Local Conflict Management Alliance ( LOCMA) and State Conflict Management Alliance ( SCOMA) all aimed at preventing violent extremism in the state.
“We are looking at the sustainability and taking ownership of the structures that we have established in collaboration with the state government particularly the office of the Secretary to the State Government( SSG).
” The CART is in 12 communities where the SARVE II Project is being implemented and so we want to see how this committees can help advocate for the replication of CART across all the communities and also the LOCMA across the 13 LGAs of the state,” he said.
Also Speaking, the Executive Director, Global Peace Development and convener of the meeting, Mr. Ebruke Esike, said it was to ensure that different stakeholders give their quota to ensuring the sustainability of the SARVE II project.
“As the convener, Global Peace Development will continue to give the technical support even when the lead partner ActionAid leaves.
“We intend to activate the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to do constructive engagement of all the local government council chairmen so that structures at the LGAs are also sustained.
“We have been able to strengthen Community Resilience through the CART who are already doing some dialogue and resolving conflict within their communities at the local government levels,” he said.
He, therefore, called on critical stakeholders to be committed and ensure that the structures created were sustained beyond the SARVE II project.
In her remarks, Hajiya Hauwa Ogah, Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, commended ActionAid and her partners for the initiative and pledged the support of the ministry. (NAN)
