BY AMEH IDUJAGI JALINGO – The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has promised to train about 300 Tiv and Jukun youths on skills to enable them participate in wealth creation and productive activities.
According to the Coalition, the initiative is part of conscious efforts at ensuring the youth shun violence and engage in useful self-development programmes.
The package was part of agreement reached during a two day conflict resolution meeting in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital.
A communique issued at the end of the meeting said; “The CNG would initiate an immediate process for the training of Jukun and Tiv youths in conflict resolution and management techniques as well as skills acquisition and exposure to wealth creation opportunities starting with an initial 300 youth from the two groups.”
The communiqué was signed by Malam Abdul-Azeez Suleiman for CNG; Chief Goodman Dahida, President General of Tiv Cultural and Social Association in Taraba and Mr Daniel Angyu, spokesperson of the Jukun community.
It said; “The leaders present here would mobilize the people particularly the youth of the two tribes involved in the crisis to resist further instigations to embark on actions with negative consequences on their personal security and the overall political and economic fortunes of the state.
“They would also sensitize all levels of leadership of the warring communities to support the legitimate aspirations of their youth to reverse the current trend towards their further marginalization and irrelevance in the context of a contemporary world of immense opportunities and possibilities.
“We urge all Taraba communities to unite, rediscover and pursue common goals that include their historic unity, their political and economic development, the strength of their religious, social and moral values and respect for their diversity.”
The communiqué further highlighted CNG’s pledge to mobilize the 19 northern governors, traditional rulers and Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) for a meeting in Jalingo on October 29 with the aim of seeking lasting solutions to the lingering Jukun/Tiv crisis in the State.
It also explained that the Jukun and Tiv community leaders would initiate an immediate end to hostilities and intensify genuine search for peaceful co-existence and sustained security in all the affected parts of the state.
It stated that an implementation committee comprising three representatives each from the Tiv and Jukun communities would be set up to implement the resolutions, monitor and evaluate the level of successes.
Forefront reports that the Tiv/Jukun crisis, which began April 1 in Kente community of Wukari Local Government Council of Taraba, has so far spread to other local government areas in Southern Taraba with many lives lost and property destroyed.
