By: Hafsatu Z Bangura
The Pennisula Descendents Association (PEDA) and the National Council for Civic Education and Development (NaCCED) has on the 7th June 2022 held a one day stake holders community social interface for peaceful Co-existence meeting with members from different communities in order to foster and promote peaceful Co-existence within the Freetown Pennisula.
The Director of Communications and Outreach at the National Council for Civic Education Development (NaCCED) Mr. Kissma Gassama said the National Council for Civic Education Development is an establishment with the vision of creating a platform for citizens engagement in education and as such its purpose for the one day stakeholders gathering in partnering with the Peninsula Descendant Association (Peda) in discussing and deepening their roles and responsibilities considering it theme that centers on peaceful Co-existence being a major strategic plan in order to curtail the violence of Community people especially during elections period.
Supreme Chief of the Peninsula Descendant Association executive Mr. Hamid Sultan Barrie in an exclusive interview with A-Z reporter said the purpose of the platform is to help curb the spread of violence amongst youths during elections, Sand mining activities that affects the coastal environs, water system, schooling system, and a major factor of Medical facilities and community policing are major factors as to the engagement in sensitizing community people on these issues.
He spoke on the successes of the Association being formed a year ago as he said previously Peninsula Descendants children hardly benefited from scholarships but through the Association and stakeholders there has been an enrollment of 162 students in universities across the country and another development is the facility of school buses made available to school going children.
The headman of the Bureh Community, Prince Williams also expressed excitement for the engagement of all communities in educating and sensitizing them on different issues affecting the community and for community people living peacefully.
He said they are ready to support Peninsula Descendants Association and National Council for Civic Education and Development in developmental activities towards the communities.
He concluded that in the aspect of violence during elections he said as a headman he is actively engaging youths in living peacefully.
Mr Mohamed Suphian Kamara also expressed his excitement of the stakeholder’s engagements of communities towards burning issues affecting the community.
He stressed on the Environment of how community people treat the environment as he said there are grave yards and that remains of the dead are seen on the shores of the beach and this affects the environment and drives away tourist attractions.
He concluded on the water system as he said even though Guma Valley is located in the community but they lack clean, pure running water. Peninsula Descendants Association (PEDA) is a community based association offering social, cultural, moral and economic development to descendants and the community at large. It is a non-sectarian, non-segregrational, non-political, and embracing all the affiliations of the descendants.
