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NGO Wants Peace Structures In All Communities

Published

6 years ago

December 18, 2020

The Global Peace Foundation Nigeria, on Thursday, called for the formation of peace structures to manage conflicts and promote peaceful coexistence in communities.

The Country Director of the Foundation, Rev. John Hayab, made this call when the group paid a courtesy visit to the Chief of Kuje Area Council, Alhaji Haruna Jibrin, in Abuja.

Hayab said such structures would also help to solve problems that occur before it escalates to bigger issues, saying this was necessary before conflicts happen.

According to him, part of the challenges facing the country could be linked to poor understanding, noting that the organization works in communities that are not in conflict so that they will not even have conflict.

“All hands must be on the deck, as stakeholders, community leaders, we need to work together, evil will not disappear amongst us if we don’t unite. But when we unite, we will stop it.

“The issues around us should not be seen as not one’s problem, it is everyone’s. The recent kidnapping of children should worry everyone, they are our children, it is not a regional matter, They are Nigerians, so every Nigerian should work together.

“One of the challenges we have in this country is that we don’t work in communities that are not in conflict, Then when there is conflict, people are already tensed and confused. We need to build structures of peace across the communities so that they will not start running helter-skelter”.

Hayab emphasized that the emir’s efforts in maintaining peace and passion for delivering good leadership to his people were commendable, hence the partnership in the implementation of programs to enhance social cohesion among the inhabitants of the area.

He stressed that the visit was also to inform the palace of the organization’s plan to engage the community people in her peacebuilding campaign with a view to strengthening their peaceful coexistence by putting a peace structure in place.

This, he said would be done with members trained and equipped with necessary tools for further engagement of community members, youth, women, faith leaders, and elders of the community with a view to achieving the desired result.

The Northern Coordinator for the Global Peace Foundation Nigeria, Sheikh Halliru Maraya, stressed that the visit was to show solidarity and sought support in achieving social cohesion among people of diverse ethno-religious background.

He reemphasized that people of diverse cultures, religions, and ethnicity must be sensitized to promote tolerance as the nation is being faced with enormous security challenges.

He cited a hadith that Prophet Muhammad S.A.W said that the best among mankind is the one who benefits humanity and as such we shall do all we could as Nigerians to promote peaceful coexistence among people in hostility.

“People should continue to live peacefully with one another because no community globally can achieve success, development, and growth in an atmosphere that is void of peaceful coexistence.

And that is why we are here in order to promote peaceful coexistence amongst the locals, We are members of one family regardless of any social differences, be it religious, geographical. We are all members of one family under God”.

In his remarks, the Royal Highness, Alhaji Haruna Jibrin, stated that it was the collective responsibility of all to promote peace in the country, saying no religion encourages violence.

He lamented on how the ravaging insecurity has halted many communities from sourcing livelihood and achieving development, saying no community leader will want his community to be in chaos.

He prayed and hoped that the criminals perpetrating all sorts of crimes in the society would repent from their heinous acts so that peace will reign in the nation, without fear of attack or being kidnapped.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Global Peace Foundation convenes and implements development projects on peacebuilding, education, entrepreneurship, and youth leadership development.

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Alake Inaugurates Nigeria-US Solid Minerals Committee, Dismisses $700bn Claim, Says No Assets Sold

Published

1 day ago

October 28, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, on Tuesday inaugurated the Nigeria-United States Committee on Strategic Cooperation in the Solid Minerals Sector in Abuja, dismissing reports that Nigeria sold $700 billion worth of solid minerals to the US.

The inauguration followed the strategic cooperation framework established between Nigeria and the United States during the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Head PRESS and Public Relations Department Mrs. Kania Maliki Andeyaba stated that, Alake in the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, signed with the US is a government-to-government platform to facilitate business-to-business engagements between American investors and Nigerian local operators, not a sale of assets.

Harping on the importance of the solid minerals sector to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic diversification agenda, he noted that the administration was committed to reducing dependence on a mono-product economy through the sustainable development of Nigeria’s vast mineral resources.

According to him, the Nigeria–US partnership as a strategic initiative to attract investment, promote technology transfer, strengthen local mineral processing and create employment opportunities.

“There is no sale of any Nigerian asset. There’s nothing exchanging hands,” Alake declared.

“We created a platform to facilitate mingling of US investment ventures with Nigeria’s local operators. It is in the public domain. We signed it in public and published it in four or five national newspapers.”

The Minister said reports claiming the US was coming to take over Nigeria’s minerals and security architecture were untrue at best and products of riotous imagination at worst.

Explaining the policy thrust, Alake said Africa has historically held the short end of the stick in global economic transactions, and Nigeria is determined to change that model.

“We have the resources, the critical elements the world needs to transit to clean energy. So we are creating a new paradigm — you bring your capital, expertise and technology, to match with our natural resources and create a win-win situation . The investor gains, Nigeria gains.’’he said.

Nigeria, he stressed, had operated a mono-cultural economy dependent on oil, while solid minerals were exploited informally — with ores taken “from pit to port” without value addition.

Alake said government has now made local processing mandatory, refusing to grant mineral titles to investors without a clear pathway to processing in Nigeria.

He said the policy led to the springing up of processing factories, including the largest lithium processing plant in West Africa commissioned recently in Nasarawa by the Vice President, and informed the formation of the African Minerals Strategy Group.

Alake noted that investor confidence has returned due to macro-economic reforms by President Bola Tinubu that guarantee security of tenure and repatriation of profits.

He charged the committee to discharge its assignment responsibly, saying its work is strategic to achieving the President’s $1 trillion economy target.

To this end, he told the Committee to ensure effective coordination, identify investment opportunities and translate the framework into measurable outcomes capable of positioning Nigeria as a competitive player in the global solid minerals industry.

In his welcome address, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Engr. Faruk Yusuf Yabo, said the inauguration translates growing bilateral engagements into a structured framework for practical cooperation and investment mobilization

Economic Officer at the US Embassy, Jonathan Baas, said President Donald Trump has prioritized three areas for US embassies — energy, artificial intelligence/super intelligence, and critical minerals.

Baas said Washington’s direction is to work with partners to secure critical supply chains while ensuring partners capture value.

“We just signed a contract today on looking into building AI data centres in Nigeria at the Nigerian Economic Summit. That’s the direction Washington wants us to go,” he said.

In his vote of thanks, CEO/Managing Director of Nigeria Solid Minerals Company, NSMC said that the committee

is expected to coordinate implementation, facilitate investment and monitor progress towards achieving the objectives of the Nigeria–US cooperation framework.

The inauguration reinforces the Federal Government’s commitment to repositioning the solid minerals sector as a key driver of economic diversification, industrial development and national prosperity under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

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