The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) in the Niger Delta says it has sent additional 450 ex-agitators to train in oil spill response, clean-up and remediation.
Its Interim Administrator, retired Col. Milland Dikio, said in a statement issued in Yenagoa on Sunday that the training is in line with PAP’s Train, Employ and Mentor (TEM) template.
He said some of them would train in solar engineering, plumbing, electrical installations, marine, metal and wood works.
PAP had earlier sent 400 ex-agitators to various farms in the Niger Delta to learn agricultural skills, bringing the number of beneficiaries in recent times to 850.
Addressing the ex-agitators after a second batch of basic orientation course organised for them in Port Harcourt, Dikio stressed the importance of wealth creation and employment generation in the region.
He urged the beneficiaries to take their training seriously so as to become employable and also become employers.
Dikio maintained that the era of crying over lack of opportunities was over and appealed to them to take advantage of the training to secure their future.
He said that PAP was in a hurry to make new millionaires and billionaires in the Niger Delta.
The statement quoted an ex-agitator, Pastor Nature Dumale Kieghe who shared his experience with the beneficiaries as saying he became successful after shunning his old ways.
“I was rejected by even my own family members because of my lifestyle. I was a lost child.
“No one could ever believe that I could be saved, but here I am today with so much to show for turning around from my evil ways.
“I have travelled round the world, speaking to people about the dangers of engaging in destructive acts. You too can be like me if not better,’’ he said.
The statement was issued by Mr Neotabase Egbe, Special Adviser to Dikio. (NAN)
