BY SUNNY A. DAVID
The Anambra State House of Assembly has taken a significant step towards promoting peace and resolving conflicts in the State by passing the Anambra State Peace Building and Conflict Management Agency Bill 2024 into law.
The new law establishes the Anambra State Peace Building and Conflict Management Agency, which will be responsible for promoting peace, preventing conflicts, and resolving disputes in the State.
The agency will also work to address the root causes of conflicts and promote sustainable peace and development in Anambra State.
This was sequel to a motion moved for the bill to be read for the third time by the Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Ikenna Ofodeme following extensive legislative process at the ‘Committee of the Whole’ during plenary on May 21.
The bill is to come into force immediately it is assented to by the Governor.
The bill seeks to foster peace and manage conflicts within the State with harmonious environment for its residents, aligning with the Governor’s broader agenda of infrastructure, economic transformation, security and social cohesion.
The Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Somtochukwu Udeze, who presided over the plenary, highlighted the importance of the bill and said it would play a crucial role in preventing conflicts in the State.
Rt. Hon. Udeze had moved for the bill to be read the third time and passed while the lawmakers unanimously adopted it through voice votes.
The sponsor of the bill, Hon. Jude Akpua, representing Njikoka 11 Constiuency, who spoke shortly on the bill, expressed happiness that the bill is of paramount importance and would resolve conflicts in families, communities and all aspects of human life.
Hon. Akpua, who is the Deputy Majority Leader of the House decried the situation where many people are being lavished in Correctional Centers as a result of conflicts, adding that with the bill, there will be less litigation in court and inmates in prison.
Akpua, who is also the Chairman, House Committee on Lands, Survey and Town Planning, posited that the agency would establish a broad mandate to promote peace and resolve conflicts through proactive measures, such as identification of potential sources of conflicts, mediation and negotiation efforts, and the implementation of peace building initiatives across various communities in Anambra State.
“I am happy today that the bill was read a third time and passed into law on the floor of the House. And in the next one month, after it must be assented to by the governor, it will be made into use.
“This bill covers every aspect of human life. Today, communities have issues like land issues, families having problems, and this bill will cover a lot of problems in Anambra State. It will cover issues like land grabbing, family issues that will be settled on the round table”, he stressed.
