by Christiana Gokyo, Jos
Towards a successful farming season, the ‘Operation SAFE HAVEN’ (OPSH) security outfit has organized a seminar for critical stakeholders for farmers in Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The seminar, with the theme, ‘Peaceful Coexistence Towards a Successful Farming Season,’ was held at the DM Bello Multipurpose Hall, Sanga Local Government Council Headquarters, Gwantu, and drew participants cutting across all sides of the divide.
Speaking at the event, the Commander OPSH and GOC 3 Division Nigerian Army Jos, Maj-Gen AE Abubakar, stressed the need for the importance of the seminar, which would facilitate a hitch-free farming season, and also highlighted the crucial role played by the Agricultural Sector in the overall development of any nation.
He urged the stakeholders to create an enabling environment for farming and herding activities to be carried out side-by-side, without fear or conflict.
Maj-Gen Abubakar, however, warned misguided persons, who may wish to disrupt farming activities this year, to have a rethink – as OPSH will not hesitate to decisively deal with such criminals, in line with extant laws.
On their parts, the guest speakers who spoke on the theme emphasized the need for upholding the sanctity of human lives by desisting from indiscriminate attacks.
They also collectively urged participants to tolerate one another and learn to forgive grievances from the past, as reprisals would only lead to further losses, which would further aggravate poverty, while stressing that, a successful farming season is only possible in an atmosphere of tolerance and respect for one another.
The resource persons also endorsed the Bottom-Top Crisis Resolution Mechanism of OPSH, which ensures that all peace efforts are transmitted to the lowest echelon and, consequently, advised the participants to use all avenues to pass the message of peace to their followers and wards.
Highlight of the seminar was the interactive session during which participants, cutting across all sides of the divide, lauded the initiative by Operation SAFE HAVEN and promised to do their best to ensure peaceful coexistence towards attaining a successful farming season in Sanga Local Government Area.
Writing materials were presented to some schools as part of Civil-Military Cooperation activities, and one of the pre-primary schools was presented with a Merry-Go-Round facility to aid the pupils’ physical fitness training.
The OPSH Commander also seized the opportunity to visit the Forward Operating Base Sanga where he was briefed on the current operational activities of the unit, and also commissioned the newly constructed Administrative Area for troops at Ancha Area Command.
Additionally, as part of efforts to the tempo of kinetic operations, the commander commissioned some combat motorcycles to aid the mobility of troops into the difficult terrain of the adjoining areas.
Those in attendance at the seminar were government officials, heads of security agencies, traditional rulers, youth and women leaders as well as civil society organizations.