A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Mercy Corps, in partnership with the Interfaith Mediation Centre, on Tuesday, took its peace campaign initiative to communities in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The initiative tagged, ‘Community Initiative to Promote Peace (CIPP)’ program was designed to give peace a chance in the local government area located in southern part of the state.
The CIPP Coordinator in the LGA, Mr Bitrus Daniel, at the trust-building event, implored the participants to live in peace with one another irrespective of ethnic and religious differences.
Daniel explained that without peace, there would be no meaningful development in any community.
He enjoined the community members to be peace ambassadors in their respective communities.
“You are now ambassadors of peace. So, we expect you all to live by example in your various communities.
“If you are telling others to live in peace and you are not practicing what you preach, it will be very hard for them to live in peace,” he added.
Representatives of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Kachia, Imam Tasiu Ibrahim and Rev. David Jonathan, commended the NGO for the efforts.
They particularly commended the NGO for taking steps to strengthen and build trust among people of the two major religions in the area.
The clergies pointed out that Christians and Muslims were all members of one family under God.
NAN reports that representatives of women and youth groups, as well as other stakeholders took turns to share the steps they had taken in the past to resolve conflict and promote peaceful co-existence.
They reaffirmed their commitment to exploring avenues that will further unite them.
CIPP is a five-year peace-building program being implemented by Mercy Corps, with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
