Amnesty Office Begins Verification Of N’Delta Ex-Agitators

The Presidential Am
nesty Programme Office has commenced verification of Niger Delta ex-agitators to ascertain the exact number of ex-militants expected in the programme as part of its exit plans.
The Programme Co-ordinator, Brig-Gen Paul Boroh (rtd) said this in an interview with newsmen last Saturday in Abuja.
Boroh who is also the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta reiterated Government’s commitment to the training and empowerment of all beneficiaries captured under the programme.
He, however, disclosed that more than 3,010 delegates who recently exited the programme had been empowered.
“Exiting from the programme is as a result of empowerment and delegates were given starter packs for their businesses. The office trains the ex-militants in various vocational skill centres and educational institutions in Nigeria and abroad,” he said.
“Some people could argue that getting jobs for them is part of reintegration. We have to look into that to see how we can get these persons properly reintegrated”, Boroh said.
The Presidential aide said that 200 ex-agitators had graduated from advanced agriculture training at the Bio Resource Centre in Odi, Bayelsa State.
“We will explore the opportunity provided by the Federal Government so that our delegates that had been trained can be gainfully employed”, he said.
Boro said that agriculture should be encouraged at all levels of national life so that the country could become a multicultural economy that depends less on oil.