A call for national ownership and budgetary support as peacebuilding project ends

October 8, 2019

MSPs now serve as peace mediators between concessionaires and affected communities.

National Bureau of Concession (NBC) Director General has called for increased government support to sustain the work of Multi-stakeholder Platforms (MSPs) in concession communities.

Gregory Coleman says MSPs remain critical and pivotal in mitigating conflicts and ensuring sustainable peace between affected communities and concessionaires across the country.

Coleman was speaking at programs marking the closure of the Peacebuilding project Strengthening Conflict Prevention via the Establishment of Multi-Stakeholder Platforms and Improved Alternative Livelihoods for Sustained Concession Affected Communities”

For over two years, the project has been managed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with funding sources from the Assessed Fund Contributions/Peace-Building Support Office through the National Bureau of Concession (NBC) first headed by Ciatta Bishop and now, Gregory Coleman.

The project was designed to mitigate conflicts between concessionaires and affected communities.  Over the years, complaints of being overlooked in decision- making and investment processes related to the extractive sector have come from affected communities.

This has sparked series of conflicts within concession areas, thus posing threat to the peace and stability of the Country.

Nine Multi-stakeholders Platforms were initially targeted but increased to 15, with limited cost to the project. These MSPs now serve as peace mediators between concessionaires and affected communities.

Currently, documentation on the legitimization of these MSPs are in full swing and there is a strong partnership with Concession companies operating in various sectors of the Country.

At the Project review and closure program, NBC Director General Coleman stressed national ownership for the project, going forward.

“The bottom to top approach is key to respecting the rights of the people in these affected communities and for them to feel the impact of the investment that relates to them,” said NBC Boss.

He praised UNDP and funding partners for the support over the years, in the full implementation of outcome 1 of the project, but stressed the need to garner and mobilize additional resources to implement the livelihood component which was initially assigned to the FAO.

UNDP Resident Representative for Programme Violet Baffour recognized the contributions of all stakeholders especially MSPs who continue to work with members of the affected communities and the Concessionaires in promoting peace and social cohesion.  

“Your collective support in fostering peace and social cohesion have mitigated potential conflict,” said Baffour.

She emphasized that it was necessary to ensure that catalytic interventions will be monitored and that the structures established remain in place for the good of all and to continue to support conflict prevention.

UNDP Deputy Resident Representative praised the leadership role of the NBC and the partnership established among key stakeholders which she says remains central and vital in guaranteeing livelihood opportunities for the

Concession-affected communities.

Ms. Baffour reminded concessionaires to deliver on their corporate social responsibility and local communities must ensure, with the NBC’s support, that they have the legal basis for providing services to and conducting business with the Concessionaires.

“I am confident the NBC is well-positioned and possesses the required systems, and competencies to own and grow the MSPs, in partnership with other government counterparts, concessionaires, and local communities,” Violet Baffour remarked.

Concluding, Baffour called for increased efforts in getting more women play active roles in the MSPs and collective interest to ensure that the MSPs continue to be adequately equipped to prevent conflict and promote national ownership in driving dispute resolution processes.