The Benue State Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Search for Common Ground (SCG) to strengthen peace-building efforts and enhance early warning and rapid response mechanisms aimed at preventing violence and promoting social cohesion across communities.
The agreement was signed on behalf of the state government by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and witnessed by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice during a ceremony coordinated by the State’s Bureau for International Cooperation and Development (BICD) at the Cabinet Office Conference Hall in Makurdi.
Participants at the event included the Director General of BICD, the Director General of the Benue State Commission for Peace and Reconciliation, the Director General of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), senior government officials, and members of the (SCG) project team.
In the opening remarks, the SSG, Barr. Deborah Serumun Aber described the MoU as an important milestone in strengthening peace-building forts in the state.
She emphasised that sustainable development thrives in an atmosphere of peace and social cohesion, noting that Benue’s agricultural potential and the resilience of its people can best be realised when communities live in stability and harmony.
The SSG highlighted the importance of dialogue, reconciliation, and rebuilding trust among stakeholders, and stressed the need for preventive and early engagement approaches to conflict management.
The SSG noted that the MoU provides a framework for broader collaboration between the Benue State Government and Search for Common Ground in advancing peacebuilding, governance, social cohesion, and community resilience.
Also speaking, the Director General of BICD, Dr Drndoaseer Leonard-Angelo Viashima, emphasised that strategic partnerships remain essential for advancing peace, stability, and sustainable development in Benue State.
Dr Viashima, according to a statement by Information Officer of BICD, Julie Okenyi, noted that the Bureau continues to facilitate collaboration between the state government and development partners, ensuring that partnerships align with the administration’s development priorities and translate into tangible benefits for communities.
He pointed out that the signing of the MoU represents another milestone in the Bureau’s ongoing efforts to deepen international cooperation and consolidate strategic partnerships for the state, noting that BICD continues to successfully conclude partnership agreements that strengthen development, peacebuilding, and humanitarian responses in Benue State.
Providing an overview of the Rapid Response for Peace Initiative, SCG Project Manager, Williams Ubimago, explained that the programme aims to reduce the incidence and severity of intergroup violence by strengthening community-based Early Warning Early Response (EWER) systems that detect tensions early and enable timely intervention.
The African Director of Search for Common Ground, Raj Mulmi, expressed optimism about the partnership and reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to supporting the successful implementation of the initiative.
The signing of the MoU marks another successful round of partnership agreements facilitated by BICD, reinforcing the Bureau’s role as the state’s gateway for international cooperation and development partnerships.
