By Ogochukwu Isioma
The Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, on Wednesday, said the State Government would partner with the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators of Nigeria (ICMC) in promoting sustainable peace and unity.
Oborevwori disclosed this while playing host to the leadership of the ICMC, led by the Vice President of the Institute, Ambassador Victor Ojaide at the Exco Chambers, Government House, Asaba.
He noted that the programmes of the Institute were very vital as they helped in building the human capacity needed to entrench a sound culture of peace that would ultimately engender societal growth and development.
Gov. Oborevwori pointed out that the ICMC programmes, which he undertook, actually helped him to successfully pilot the affiars of the State House of Assembly for a period of six years.
“I am very happy to welcome you to Delta State Government House. I am very proud to be a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators of Nigeria.
“There is no way I can easily forget what happened when I was doing my assignments. It was tough but at the end of the day, it came out well. I want to sincerely thank you for the encouragement.
“The lnstitute was the first lnstitute to award me a Fellow. The ICMC is a programme that will humble you and change your life style. The Sheriff of 10 years ago is not the same as today.
“The programme helped me to manage the State House of Assembly, where you hardly see a Speaker that survives three years. But I survived six years.
“Delta State will collaborate with you in alternative dispute resolutions because we are a peace loving State. We will continue to encourage you in our own little way,” Oborevwori said.
The Governor said he encouraged some members of the State legislature to become Fellows of the Institute when he was the Speaker of the House, adding that he would encourage members of the State Exco to join the Institute now that he is a Governor.
According to him, most of the things that one learns from the Institute are things that would obviously shapen and refine you as a public servant and as an individual.
On the Institute’s proposal to establish Conflict Resolution Centres in the 25 Local Government Aeas of the State, Oborevwori said, “I feel that a major center should be built in the State capital where people can converge for training instead of trying to build centres of the Institute in all the Local Government Areas.
“You can also go to the Local Government Councils occasionally, to train people as a one-off thing and come back. So, concentrating on the major center here will be best and more effective.”
Earlier, the Vice President of the Institute, Ambassador Victor Ojaide, who applauded the Governor for accepting to receive them on courtesy visit, described the Governor as a consensus builder who made history by becoming the longest serving Speaker in the history of the State.
Ambassador Ojaide, who represented the President of the Institute, Dr. Agada John Elachi during the visit, said the lnstitute wants to create in every Local Government Area in the State, a Conflict Resolution Centre where people would be trained on conflict resolution.
He, therefore, solicited the support of the State Government to enable the Institute execute its programmes, even as he applauded the State Government for allocating two acres of land for the Institute to build its secretariat.
