Niger Delta
1,659 Niger Delta Ex-Agitators Now Graduates -Ndiomu

The Interim Administrator, the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Maj. Gen. Barry Ndiomu (retd), has said a total of 1,659 beneficiaries of the scheme’s scholarships are now graduates.
According to him, the beneficiaries graduated from offshore universities.
The programme was established in 2009 by the late Umaru Yar’Adua to persuade Niger Delta militants to relinquish their arms.
The programme has, however, been sustained by successive administrations.
Speaking while receiving the House of Representatives Committee on Niger Delta Affairs at the PAP’s Headquarters in Abuja, Ndiomu also disclosed that 19,000 beneficiaries had been trained in vocational skills.
A statement, yesterday, by the Administrator’s Special Assistant on Media, Freston Akpor, also said the scheme has set up a cooperative society to help nurture those who wished to be an entrepreneur among the ex-agitators.
The statement partly read, “The PAP is in partnership with 18 universities and 61 non-partnering universities onshore. So far, a total of 1,659 student beneficiaries under the PAP scholarship scheme have graduated from offshore universities. In addition, the Programme has trained more than 19,000 beneficiaries in vocational skills.
While the monthly stipend payment to ex-agitators gulps about 50 percent of the annual PAP budget, Ndiomu noted that the age of beneficiaries and attendant difficulties for most of them to adapt to learning in a formal education setting necessitated the initiative of the PAP Co-operative Society Limited which is currently birthing a new breed of entrepreneurs through the provision of financial support, market linkages, and mentorship to enable to grow their businesses”.
Ndiomu also called for increased funding, adding that the amount allocated for the programme has become insufficient.
He said, “The purse of the PAP is currently stretched to the limits due to the forex challenges. This has made the cost of both local and foreign education and other training schemes highly exorbitant”.
“PAP’s annual budget is N65 billion, an amount that has remained constant while the official exchange rate since he assumed office has continuously witnessed an increase and this is severely impacting activities of the Programme.”
The lawmakers led by Eugene Dibiagwu, promised to interface with his colleagues to address the funding gap in the amnesty programme.
The lawmakers also said a presentation would be made to the President, Bola Tinubu, and the Federal Government to draw executive attention to consider an increase of the annual budget of the PAP to reflect the present economic realities.
Niger Delta
NDDC Begins N50,000 Monthly Payment To 10,000 N’Delta Youths

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has begun the payment of N50,000 monthly stipends to 10,000 indigenous youths from the Niger Delta under its Youths Internship Scheme.
The Director of Corporate Affairs at the NDDC, Mrs Seledi Thompson-Wakama, disclosed this to journalists in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, yesterday.
She explained that the beneficiaries would undergo practical, hands-on training across the various organisations for 12 months to develop critical skills.
Recall that during the inauguration of the scheme on July 31, 2024, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, had announced the Federal Government’s approval of a N50,000 monthly stipend for the trainees.
According to Thompson-Wakama, the commission has successfully completed the selection process and has begun placing trainees in organisations to gain practical experience.
“Consequently, with the completion of these phases, the payment of the monthly stipends has also commenced,” she announced.
She revealed that the 10,000 beneficiaries were transparently selected from over 3.2 million youths who registered for the empowerment programme.
“This unprecedented response highlights the immense potential and aspirations of our youths to improve themselves.
“NDDC remains steadfast in ensuring this life-changing opportunity reaches the most deserving candidates, creating a lasting impact and paving the way for a brighter future,” she stated.
Thompson-Wakama explained that the scheme had enabled the commission to collate essential data, including the qualifications, skills, interests, needs, and employment status of the youths in the region.
The data, she explained, would guide the commission in designing programmes tailored to address the unique challenges faced by young people.
She disclosed that the NDDC partnered with KPMG, a global audit and consultancy firm, to enhance the commission’s corporate governance framework.
“KPMG has produced a Governance Advisory Report that will serve as a tool to support the commission’s transition from a transaction-based to a transformation-focussed policy,” Thompson-Wakama added.
The director commended the youths for their patience and cooperation during the selection process for the scheme.
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