In an endeavor to foster peace in the southeastern region of the country, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has indicated plans to deploy ‘Peace Marshals’ across all political wards in the area,leadership reports.
Kalu disclosed this during a meeting with members of the Club 17 Peace Movement, Abia State Caucus, and Local Government Executives. Established in December 2023, the Club 17 Peace Movement is a non-governmental organization committed to collaborating with similar entities to promote peace in Abia State and the South-East geopolitical zone.
Following the launch of the Peace in South-East Project (PISE-P) on December 29, 2023, aimed at fostering peace through non-kinetic approaches, Kalu outlined that the ‘Peace Marshals’ would function as an extension of PISE-P, serving as advocates for peace and facilitators of reconciliation.
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Encouraging the team to initiate action, Kalu emphasized starting the initiative in all wards of Abia State before extending it to other states in the South-East to achieve the objectives of PISE-P.
Additionally, Kalu assured the group of his concerted efforts, both at the federal level in collaboration with the state government, to attract more federal projects to Abia State. He expressed optimism that the establishment of the South-East Development Commission would address the longstanding issues faced by the Igbo people, stemming from the civil war over five decades ago.
Furthermore, Kalu urged continuous support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, citing the President’s supportive stance toward the Igbo community.
During the meeting, Chief George Nnanna Kalu, Chairman of Club 17 Peace Movement, commended the Deputy Speaker for his parliamentary contributions and informed him of the inauguration of local government executives across all 17 local government areas of Abia State. These executives have been tasked with devising strategies to disseminate peace-related information within their respective communities.
Chief Kalu highlighted the production of peace-themed jingles and stickers as part of their grassroots outreach efforts, emphasizing the need for adequate funding to amplify their impact.
Additionally, he appealed to the Deputy Speaker for assistance in securing federal board and parastatal appointments for their members, as well as support for increasing the number of states in the South-East region, a matter under the purview of the House Committee on Constitution Review, chaired by Kalu. Chief Kalu also pledged their support for the establishment of state police in Nigeria, citing deficiencies in the current police structure.
