Army Chief Buratai, Kachikwu, others to receive Peace Achievers Awards
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen Tukur
Buratai and the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachikwu have been
nominated for the 2017 edition of the Peace Achievers Awards.
Mr Kingsley Amafibe, the Project Director of
Peace Ambassadors Agency, organisers of the annual awards, told the News Agency
of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday.
The event has been scheduled to hold on Sept.
23 at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja.
He said that Mike Okiro, former Inspector
General (IG) of Police, Raymond Dokpesi of DAAR Communications and Dr Paul
Orhi, former Director-General of NAFDAC, were among the nominees too.
Other nominees for the award included
Amb.Tony Benson, President of Niger Delta Peace Agitators; Dan Nwanyanwu; Alex
Okoroji, veteran radio host and Oba Adetola Olaonipekun.
According to him, the Chief of Army Staff is
to be honoured with the ‘Award for Excellence in Peacekeeping’ for his efforts
at maintaining peace across Nigeria.
He noted that since the inception of Buratai
as the Army Chief, peace has returned to hitherto troubled areas, especially in
the North East, Niger Delta and other regions.
“Gen. Buratai has proven that he is committed
to Nigeria’s Peace and Unity, by leading his men to fight and curb the
activities of insurgents in the North and other forms of criminalities across
the country.”
Amafibe explained that Kachikwu was listed in
the 2017 ‘peace honour roll’ because of his “unrelenting commitment to
restoring peace in the oil-rich communities of Niger Delta.’’He added that
South Africa High Commissioner to Nigeria, Amb. Louis LuLu Mnguni, will also
receive the Peace Achievers Award.
“The award is for men and women from
different sphere of human endeavours, who through innovation, hard work and
exemplary leadership contributed in the peace and nation building process.
“In line with the objective of promoting
peace by our organisation, they have been specially picked for honour, and we
believe this will spur them into doing more for the peaceful co-existence of
our great nation.
“Having looked critically at the various
contributions of these patriotic Nigerians in different ways, towards promoting
peace, we decided to celebrate them,” he said.
Amafibe explained that although there are
lots of patriotic men and women who have contributed meaningfully in the peace building
project in Nigeria, it was imperative to honour the ‘outstanding’ ones.
“If your investments or humanitarian works
tell of you as an agent of peace, then you are supposed to be honoured.”
He added that there were entrepreneurs and
corporate bodies, who through their commitment to nation building and social
responsibilities have empowered most Nigerians, and thereby promoting peace.
According to him, the Federal Inland Revenue
Service (FIRS), The Big Church Foundation,real estate giant Dahksn Investment
Limited, and the host of the popular
‘Osasu Show’,Osasu Igbinedion will also receive the peace awards.
The Peace Ambassador Agency is a NGO that
advocates and promotes peace and national unity.