The Nigerian Navy and the office of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) have concluded partnership plans to secure and develop the Niger Delta region through a programme on job creation.
The Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo, said such development was possible through a special skill acquisition programme to reduce tension caused by unemployment.
Gambo spoke at the weekend when PAP’s Interim Administrator, Col. Milland Dixon Dikio (rtd), led a delegation to pay him a courtesy visit at the Nigerian Navy Headquarters in Abuja.
A statement signed by Dikio’s Special Adviser on Media, Neotaobase Egbe, said the interim Administrator congratulated the naval chief on his appointment and reiterated his commitment to repositioning the PAP.
Dikio said the programme would henceforth train and prepare the ex-agitators to apply the skills they acquired in their area of comparative advantage such as maritime, transport and security.
He said the programme would give serious attention to farming to enhance food security.
Dikio said: “We will like a synergy with the Nigerian Navy to further strengthen the security in the region as the ex-agitators are largely domiciled there and have pledged to help end kidnappings and sea piracy in the region”.
The amnesty boss noted that security would be enhanced when agencies work with committed inhabitants through meaningful engagements.
He further expressed the need for security agencies to develop “vertical and horizontal” relationships with traditional rulers, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Ministries of Environment and Niger Delta, state governments and other bodies involved in the delivery of the amnesty package to keep the region together.
While acknowledging the need for the partnership, Gambo said that skill acquisition and job creation were necessary for the development of the region and would go a long way to ease unemployment-related tension.
He further commended Dikio for his good work and said that the Nigerian Navy would provide personnel support to operationalize the pledge of the ex-agitators to boost the security on the waterways.
The Presidential Amnesty Programme is focused on its mission to successfully reintegrate its 30,000 ex-agitators into the society through its Train-Employ-Mentor empowerment model.
The model is designed to ensure that ex-agitators are meaningfully engaged; maintain the peace and security in the region while reducing their dependence on monthly stipends.
