By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
The Interim Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Major General Barry Ndiomu (Rtd) has vowed that the programme will continue to promote initiatives that will eradicate poverty in the Niger Delta Region, particularly in the lives of ex-agitators.
Gen. Ndiomu said this as part of events to commemorate the 2023 International Day for Eradication of Poverty.
The theme for the year is “Decent Work And Social Protection: Putting Dignity In Practice For All”.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja, he said PAP initiative’s are tied to eradicating poverty in the Niger Delta Region, particularly in the lives of ex-agitators.
He said the programme under his leadership is creatively setting up opportunities to impact the lives of ex-agitators, beyond dependence on N65,000 monthly stipends.
Ndiomu said the initiatives that the PAP has so far introduced, will create windows of opportunities for ex-agitators to escape the prediction of the World Bank which estimates that over the next decade, “one billion young people will try to enter the job market, but less than half of them will actually find formal jobs.”
Ndiomu noted that the already floated PAP Cooperative Scheme for ex-agitators, Empowerment/Vocational Trainings and many more initiatives that are still in the pipeline, will solve poverty and change the negative narratives of the region. He added that over 700 ex-agitators have so far received funding in loans to undertake Agribusiness and other lucrative ventures, while 2500 applications are waiting to be processed.
He highlighted the 75 pilots and aircraft engineers sponsored by the Presidential Amnesty Programme to various Aviation Training Organizations (ATO’s) in Lagos (Nigeria), Johannesburg (South Africa) and Toulouse, (France) for type-rating courses as part of its aviation training scheme.
General Ndiomu recalled that when late President Umar Musa Yar’Adua instituted the Presidential Amnesty Programme in 2009, the age range of ex-agitators who laid down their arms, was between 25 to 30. 14 years later, he noted that they have now hit an unemployable age range of between 50 to 55 years.
He stressed that PAP will bring up programmes that downplay ex-agitators crave for formal employment and entitlement mentality, towards more viable and sustainable means of livelihood.
The PAP Interim Administrator commended President Bola Tinubu for his determination to give further support and sustain the process, and give the PAP more life.
“The President has the interest of the Niger Delta at heart. We will work in line with his Renewed Hope Agenda to change the negative narratives of the region,” Ndiomu said.
