ABOUT 500 former Niger Delta militants are to be trained in agriculture and aquaculture as part of a fresh government initiative designed to appeal to youths across the region to lay down their arms and embrace peace.
With the return of militancy to the Niger Delta, thousands of youths have taken up arms again, distrustful of the federal government. Many believe that the Buhari administration will abandon the existing amnesty programme and gains made in the past will be scrapped, so have ignored calls for peace talks.
In a bid to reassure the region that it is indeed sincere about peace, the government has decided to step up the amnesty programme by training 500 new youngsters. Retired Brigadier Paul Boroh, the special adviser to the president on Niger Delta, disclosed the new plan shortly after a visit to the Bio-resources Development Centre in Odi in Bayelsa State.
He said the would-be trainees were selected from Akwa Ibom, Abia, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers states. According to Brigadier Boroh, the training would create jobs and wealth for the youth, especially now that the country sought to diversify the economy.
According to Mr Boroh, 18 other ex-militants had acquired skills in aquaculture under the programme. Mr Boroh, who is also the coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, said he took a tour of the centre to monitor the progress of staff and livestock in the centre.
“The amnesty office is committed to training youths to become productive in the area of agriculture and aquaculture. We will encourage them to plan their future, study and appreciate the value of knowledge in the modern society,” Brigadier Boroh said.
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