Forum Urges Action On Post-Amnesty Programme

The forum of South-South Chambers of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture, has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to pursue post-amnesty programme with dispatch.

The President of the forum, Prince Billy Harry, told newsmen in Port Harcourt that the exercise should aim at re-integrating the ex-militants into the society.

“Forum resolved to urge the President to pursue the post-amnesty programme for the Niger Delta youths with fervour and dispatch, and to introduce an enhanced scheme that will facilitate their seamless and quick integration into the society,’’ he said.

Harry suggested that programmes that could achieve the re-integration were the back-to-land schemes, educational enhancement, skills acquisition, as well as micro and macro-credit schemes.

He said that the organised private sector should also be co-opted into the post-amnesty programme since most of their members in the Niger Delta region were affected during the crises.

The president also suggested that retrained or rehabilitated youths should gainfully be engaged in appropriate employment.

“This will enable them to contribute to the economic growth of the nation and also employ others,’’ he said.

He said the forum would remember former President Musa Yar’Adua for his achievements, especially the unconditional amnesty granted to militants and the creation of a Niger Delta Ministry.

Harry said, “Yar Adua curbed wasteful end-of-year budgetary expenditures by the various federal government ministries and parastatal agencies and was committed to the rule of law.

He said the forum was ready to work with Jonathan to ensure the successful implementation of the post-amnesty programme as the Niger Delta region had started receiving investors since the programme started.

“We are happy to announce that more than 300 companies have returned to the oil and gas zones in the region”.

“More American and French companies have shown interest in doing business in the region,’’ he said.