Bayelsa State Peace Architecture Submits Regional Coordination Summit Report to Ministry of Community Development

By admin Last updated Jul 10, 2025

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The Bayelsa State Commissioner for Community Development and Executive Chairman of the Bayelsa State Peace Architecture (SPA), Hon. Alfred Watson Belemote, has emphasized the importance of peace in achieving sustainable development across the state. He stressed the need for a bottom-up approach to resolving communal conflicts and strengthening lasting peace.

The Commissioner made this known at his office in Yenagoa while receiving a ten-member delegation of the State Peace Architecture. The delegation recently represented Bayelsa State at a two-day Regional Peace Coordination Summit held in Warri, Delta State. The summit was organized by Search for Common Ground and its partners with support from the European Union.

The summit aimed to:

Assess current practices of the Peace Architecture Platforms,
Generate action plans to build a more sustainable peace architecture model,
Develop strategies that align with environmental, social, and economic sustainability goals.

Participants at the summit discussed collaborative efforts to strengthen ties and foster peace among the three states of Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers. Key topics included the progress of ongoing projects, achievements, and an overview of the roles and significance of the State Peace Architecture Platforms.

The forum also featured case studies from Taraba, Plateau, and Adamawa States. These case studies helped participants evaluate the success and limitations of peacebuilding structures, considering the cultural contexts that influenced their continuity after donor-supported projects ended.

A peer exchange session among the delegations from Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers States allowed representatives to share challenges and lessons learned during the reviewed period of their respective SPA initiatives.

The summit’s overarching goal is to promote lasting peace in the Niger Delta Region by reinforcing the vision of Search for Common Ground to address violence and criminality through a community-centered approach.

At the end of the summit, three key action plans were approved for immediate implementation in Bayelsa State between July and August:

Community Peace Advocacy Against Drug Abuse in Higher Institutions
Dialogue on Carbon Emission Offset Study
Stakeholders Dialogue for the Community Peace Commission (CPC) Policy/Bill

Presenting the formal report to the Commissioner, the Secretary of the State Peace Architecture, Dr. Inebaraton Preye, who spoke on behalf of the team, emphasized the need to institutionalize the peace initiatives carried out by the SPA as Search for Common Ground winds down its activities in the state. He thanked the Commissioner for his support and appealed for continued backing to ensure the successful implementation of the action plans.

Also speaking, the Bayelsa State Coordinator of Early Warning and Early Response (EWER), Mr. Victor Baba, commended the state delegation for their outstanding representation in Warri. He noted that Search for Common Ground is committed to partnering with the Ministry of Community Development to sustain peacebuilding efforts in Bayelsa State.

In response, Commissioner Belemote—joined by the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Naten Opuene, and other senior officials—affirmed the Ministry’s alignment with the SPA’s vision. He emphasized the need to transition from project-based interventions to institution-building, noting that this is essential for consolidating peace gains and ensuring long-term impact. He reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to anchoring the initiatives for deeper community development and a more resilient peace structure in Bayelsa State.