The Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) has intensified peacebuilding and conflict prevention efforts across Host Community Development Trusts (HCDTs) in Delta State through targeted capacity-building workshops.
The intervention brought together Peacebuilding Committee members of the Egbema-OPUDIS, Agbonu Ogulagha Ibe, and Warri Kingdom Coastal HCDTs for training on non-adversarial conflict management, dialogue facilitation, early warning and response, and localization of resilience strategies.
Held in Warri, the workshops convened HCDT Peacebuilding Committee members, traditional leaders, security agencies, local government representatives, and other stakeholders to strengthen local peace infrastructure and promote coordinated conflict prevention in riverine communities.
The training builds on the recently concluded Ugboland HCDT Peacebuilding Committee capacity strengthening and resilience localization event in Ondo State, as part of PIND’s strategy to institutionalize community-led peace structures across the Niger Delta.
Speaking for PIND’s Executive Director, Mr. Sam Ogbemi Daibo, PIND’s Peacebuilding Manager, Dr. David Udofia, said sustainable peace in host communities depends on strong local peace systems.
“Peacebuilding cannot be reactive. Communities must have structures that can anticipate tensions, manage grievances early, and promote dialogue before conflicts escalate. By strengthening HCDT Peacebuilding Committees, we are helping communities build resilience systems that support stability, trust, and long-term development,” Udofia said.
Participants discussed practical steps to improve stakeholder engagement, collaboration with security agencies, and coordination between HCDTs, traditional institutions, youth groups, women leaders, and peace actors.
Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Warri Kingdom HCDT, Mrs. Doris Ademola, described the training as timely and impactful.
“This workshop has helped us better understand how to manage grievances and engage our communities more constructively. We are leaving with practical tools that will help us respond to tensions early and strengthen peace within our communities,” she said.
The intervention is expected to deepen understanding of Peacebuilding Committee mandates, improve mediation and conflict prevention capacities, and support the localization of resilience strategies within participating HCDTs.
The workshops align with PIND’s Phase IV strategic focus on systems strengthening, resilience localization, and community-driven peacebuilding to enable peaceful coexistence and sustainable development in the Niger Delta.
