.over 16,683 since inception
186 former Niger Delta Militants trained under the Presidential Amnesty Programme today departed the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos for South Africa , the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland for educational and vocational training .
This batch of delegates brings to 16,683 the number of ex- militants so far sent for offshore and local training in educational and vocational fields since the programme started in 2010.
Of the 186 delegates, 60 will undergo a 12 months vocational training in South Africa as emergency medical technicians otherwise known as " offshore medic" , while the other 126 will undergo educational training in tertiary institutions in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.
Speaking at a pre- departure briefing in Lagos, the special adviser to the President on Niger Delta Matters , Hon. Kingsley Kuku said this batch if delegates is the single largest to be deployed for educational training in the United Kingdom, which he described as a unique feat programme.
Kuku who admonished the delegates to be good ambassadors of Nigeria by abiding by the laws of the host countries where they are undergoing training said the Presidential Amnesty Programme for youths in the Niger Delta now has zero tolerance for misconduct as over 690 delegates have been so far repatriated and reprimanded for any infraction they have brought into the programme.
He said over 1,359 youths from the region have been sent for local vocational training programmes in 2013, even as he affirmed that another batch of 1,303 this year have been deployed for offshore vocational training.
Kuku said over 341 youths under the re-integration phase of the amnesty programme have been so far in 2013 deployed for educational training at various institutions including Alabama State University, Nelson Mandela University, Liverpool International College, Anglia, Ruskin University, University of Liverpool, International College of Portsmouth and Brunel University.
He listed the countries where the ex- militants are undergoing offshore vocational training to include : France, South Africa , India, Trinandad and Tobago , United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Ghana, Italy and Malaysia.
In the area of post training engagement Kuku said about 2,000 delegates are being empowered with business start up packages, while 174 have been offered direct employment in various public and private onshore / offshore organisations.
In the area of post training engagement Kuku said about 2,000 delegates are being empowered with business start up packages, while 174 have been offered direct employment in various public and private onshore / offshore organisations.
About 1,190 women , he further said have been placed in specialised skill acquisition centres even as some are being processed for empowerment set up.
Kuku said some of the aviation delegates are being engaged as aviation instructors in some training centres abroad .
The amnesty office , the chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme said is currently engaging professional organisations for procurement of vocational skills basic start up equipment for trainees who have completed various vocational courses in areas of music production , cinematography, fashion designing , photography ,welding and deep ocean diving.
He listed the key focus areas to of training to include aviation, maritime, oil and gas, power telecoms, construction, and others.
Kuku said : " The amnesty programme had assisted to stabilise oil export for the country and has brought lasting peace to the Niger Delta, and the oil and gas environment is now stable.
This programme has accelerated the increase in crude oil export.
This is one of the indigenous programmes that has brought peace for the region .
Over 2, 000 delegates are in 23 countries pursuing educational programmes all over the world.
On the terminal date for the programme, Kuku said :"By 2015, this programme would be winding up, because it had a a terminal date, we are pursuing this doggedly .
From inception, the programme was designed to run for five year which we believe should not be altered.
This team is working towards completing the programme in record time.
We are pursing this objective through effective management of the resources.
We are ensuring that we assert ourself to fruition through frugal management of resources, we would train about 4,000 in 2013, In 2014 we would train 6,000 and in 2015, we would have less than 6,00O to train.
This is novel and we do not need to delay our work to remain in office.
That is not our vision .That is not our mandate.
We urge many state governments in the Niger Delta region to commence youth engagement and empowerment programme for people of their states.
We do not want the amnesty programme to become an alternative government in this country .
We urge many state governments in the Niger Delta region to commence youth engagement and empowerment programme for people of their states.
We do not want the amnesty programme to become an alternative government in this country .
If Niger Delta states have the funds in place to empower their youths and women , then there would no need to duplicate funds to carry out related programmes by other agencies of government carrying out interventionists programmes.
By 2016, all states in the Niger Delta must take up the responsibility of designing programmes that would empower youths and women in their states ."
