By FUNMILAYO ADEYEMI

Peace Corps of Nigeria has advocated vigorous campaigns on peace education, cultural orientation on unity and social cohesion as solutions to spate of violence in the country.

The National Commandant, of the Corps, Dr Dickson Akoh, suggested the solutions in Mararaba, Nasarawa state on Wednesday at a National stakeholders’ Conference to explore ways of tackling the spate of violence in the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the conference was organised by the Nigerian National Commission for UNESCO (NATCOM-UNESCO).

Akor, who was represented by the Deputy National Commandant, Peace Corps Secretariat, Dr Kabiru Mohammed, said that a nation cannot achieve development without sustainable peace.

According to him, there is the need to re-orientate the minds of the citizenry on the importance of promoting values that unite rather than divide.

Akoh further stated that the values must include mutual respect which is a mindset that resolves conflict through dialogue and not violence.

“These values must be deliberately taught, reinforced and institutionalised through our formal and informal education system.

“We must begin from our classrooms to motor parks, from our community halls to our market places,” he said.

He added that the organisation had embarked on various programmes on nation-building in schools and communities to entrench the culture of tolerance.

“Through our peace education programmes, community-based sensitisation campaigns and schools outreach projects, we have continued to empower young Nigerians to become ambassadors of peace, tolerance and national cohesion,” he said.

Akoh commended the NATCOM-UNESCO for the initiative and pledged support for the programme as it aligned with the visions and operations of the Corps. (NAN)