Governorship candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, in Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno, has said only peace building can save the world from the many humanitarian crisis plaguing it.
In a statement in Uyo, to mark this year’s World Humanitarian Day, Pastor Eno said when leaders and the people embrace peace, there will be absence of conflicts, violence, uproars and clashes that bring about humanitarian crises.
“It is very necessary that we embrace and build peace intentionally as leaders and as a people. Peace is a bridge to a broader goal of development, society and humanitarian crisis-free world,” he said.
Noting that “crisis and conflicts destroy infrastructure, social systems, economies and is one of the causes of most political upheavals we have in our state, country and the world,” Pastor Eno said the theme of this year’s celebration of the day, “It Takes a Village,” is apt, as it draws attention to the need for “everyone of us in our different communities to join hands to provide impactful and necessary assistance to efforts to deal with humanitarian crises.”
He praised humanitarian workers who, daily, give out their all, despite all odds, including dying on duty, getting injured and living away from their families for long, to make sure people who are affected by crises are supported in the area of healthcare, shelter, food, agriculture, water, sanitation, education and other needs.”
He further praised Governor Udom Emmanuel for running an administration in the state “which gives premium to keeping the peace, tackling conflicts and crises, and promoting, through the Maintain Peace Movement (MPM), its sustainability beyond this administration.
“Only peace can further our collective resolve to sustain development in the state, going forward,” he said.
The World Humanitarian Day, first celebrated in 2010 with the theme ‘We are Humanitarian Workers, is celebrated in August 19 every year, to bring to light efforts of thousands of humanitarian workers who risk their lives in humanitarian services to support crisis-affected people across the world.