Jaheim T. Tumu
Africa-Press – Liberia. The Platform for Dialogue and Peace (P4DP) with funding from UN Secretary General Peacebuilding Fund have completed its consultation’s plans of action and provided a timeline for conducting an evaluation on phase two of its peace dividends, reconciliation and social cohesion project with local residents in Grand Gedeh and Sinoe counties.
The project, which was coined “Delivering Peace Dividends in Liberia: “Consolidating Local Reconciliation and Social Cohesion Opportunities in Grand Gedeh and Sinoe Counties” brought over forty (40) participants that includes counties’ Leaders, project stakeholders, beneficiaries, disadvantaged groups, representatives from commercial motorcyclists, farmers, the Muslim community, foreign residents market women, youth, women and other religious leaders.
Accordingly, phase two of the project was designed to build on the gains of phase one with the aim of enhancing the capacity of beneficiaries thereby building their skills in project proposal development as well as working with them to develop and submit proposals for their identified projects.
It would further collaborate with local to implement, identified social-economic and livelihood in Grand Gedeh and Sinoe Counties. Furthermore, to promote peace and social cohesion in a sustained manner through the development and implementation of projects that deliver tangible peace dividends to the people.
During the opening sessions, it was said that information sharing on phase two of the project would be rolled out and explained the roles and responsibilities of the different stakeholders in the implementation as well as to gauge the perspectives of key stakeholders, especially women and youth whose participation were important for the successful implementation of the different stages of the project.
The session also ensure the team to identify potential local services providers, resource individuals and to have an initial appreciation of potential beneficiaries understanding of project development, proposal writing and project implementation..
Delivering his welcome remarks, a proxy of the County Inspector of Grand Gedeh, Mr. Ebenezer P. Tiah lauded P4DP and partners for the second phase of the project and recounted how P4DP’s peace efforts have contributed to resolving conflict and also minimizing potential conflict in county.
Mr. Tiah stated that the initiative has assisted women from several communities especially Tchien and Gbarzon District who have organized a Peace Mother Club to settle through dialogues and providing social and economic support to each other.
He emphasized that the county needs more of these interventions during the second phase, given the testimonies we have heard from members of the women group as well as what he had heard on the radio.
Said Tiah, “I have followed Niao Tordee women activities on Smile FM which in my opinion impacted not only the women but the whole county because they provided awareness and enlightenment on how to address some of the common causes of conflict at the level of households, the communities and even at the level of the districts”.
Delivering the overview of the project, Mr. Kennedy K. Berrian, the project officer of P4DP, emphasized that the peaceful dividend nature of project as the main objective of phase two.
According to him, the project will ensure stakeholders support women and youth led initiatives that will have a trigger down impact on the society as a mean to address some of those issues mentioned initially in phase one.
He further emphasized though it is important that they build on the gains made in phase one but there is a need to improve and address those issues that will primarily focus on a peace dividend objective rather than targeting projects that will provide benefits for few groups.
Mr. Berrian said, “Although these interventions will be done through the peace mother clubs and the youth peace and learning centers but this doesn’t mean the projects will just benefit women and youth, so we need to think about how everyone in the communities and districts can benefit from these projects.”
Speaking after the overview, Elder Chelsie Mennoh, Chairperson of the Sinoe County Citizen Action committee, applauded the facilitators for the continued use of dialogue as the means to communicate and gather information about the project activities.
”We should not forget about how the ‘under the kola tree dialogues’ brought us together and help us to find solutions to some of the issues, so let us continue using dialogue method in this phase two, he said.
The Chairperson of the Grand Gedeh Citizen Action Committee, Madam Amelia W. Karr emphasized that the peace dividend projects should seek to address issues beyond the few selected groups interest.
She further stated that the project should strive to incorporate ideas and thoughts of diverse groups.
“I will suggest that the project be designed in such a way that everyone will benefit since it is about peace dividend, let collect ideas from everyone, she said.
Following the closure of the overview, participants emphasized on the use of existing community structures in channeling communications and networking to the larger populations.
They recommended the coordination of the project stakeholders to ensure an efficient and coordinated approach during project implementation.
They, therefore, highlighted the importance of the County Focal points to regularly attend and follow up their meetings especially in a way that will ensure they frequently exchange information and get technical support in the implementation.
However, there were also concerns about the misuse of the media by young people in propagating the agenda of their political Aspirants and parties.
Participants at both Greenville and Zwedru sessions, asserted that the youth at times throw insults and use inappropriate languages while on their media propaganda.
According to the participants, those behaviors have the propensity of inciting and instilling violence among the youthful followers of the politicians who are mostly commercial motorcyclists.
They indicated that, in order to address these concerns, there have been calls for the Citizens Action Committee in Greenville to work with Leaders of commercial motorcyclists to take some measures that will curtail the inappropriate use of the media space by politicians and their supporters.
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