Members of the Plateau Peace Media Network (PPMN) embarked on a courtesy and advocacy visit to the Plateau State office of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) on Wednesday 30th August aimed at fostering future collaborations that hold the potential to propel peacebuilding efforts and drive transformative positive change and unity across Plateau state.

During the visit, Matthew Tegha, the Coordinator of the Network, emphasized the significance of this initiative. He acknowledged that this was the first familiarization visit to the NOA since the inception of PPMN. The purpose was twofold: to seek support and collaboration for future network projects and to establish channels for information sharing, early warnings, and responses.

In Tegha’s words, “Today, we seek not only to share our vision and initiatives as the Plateau Peace Media Network, but also to explore opportunities for collaboration. By synergizing our respective expertise and resources, we can create a stronger foundation for a peaceful Plateau State, and by extension, a more united Nigeria. Your insights and guidance are invaluable to us as we navigate the path of peacebuilding through responsible media engagement. Together, we can inspire positive change, foster understanding, and promote peace for the generations to come.”

Peter Akpah, of Source News 24, further advocated for media orientation sessions. He highlighted the challenges faced by media practitioners in accurately reporting attacks within the state without inadvertently damaging the state’s image, particularly in the eyes of the international community.

Responding to the visit, Mrs. Kaneng Tabitha Pam-Hworo, the State Director of NOA, underscored the necessity of the PPMN’s formation, recognizing the pertinent need it addresses. She expressed the agency’s willingness to collaborate with the network to advance peace promotion and enhance Plateau’s reputation as a peaceful location.

Mrs. Pam-Hworo stated, “Collaborative peace is essential for every individual in the state irrespective of origin or religion. So we are ready to collaborate with your Network. Also collaboration between the NOA and PPMN will bring more awareness to the activities the NOA is doing at the grassroots in building peace.”

She further added, “We also need to involve capable individuals who have resources and a voice that can amplify peaceful coexistence in our future activities.”

John Azi Mamman, Deputy Director of NOA, emphasized that acting upon early warning signals of potential crises and violence within the state could lead to their prevention. He highlighted that incidents such as kidnappings across various local government areas in the state often serve as harbingers of subsequent attacks.

Among those present during the visit from the PPMN were Coordinator Matthew Tegha, Mrs. Zainab Babaji, Joseph Adudu, Marie-Therese Nanlong, Peter Akpa, Gambo Dusu, Olabisi Victoria, and Solomon Inusa. This assembly of committed individuals aims to foster positive change and peaceful coexistence through responsible media engagement.