The Nation Newspaper

Tag: ex-agitators

  • Ex-agitators pass vote of confidence on Otuaro, commend Tinubu

    Ex-agitators pass vote of confidence on Otuaro, commend Tinubu

    The national chairman, Phase 3 of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, PAP, General Para Ekiyes, and the entire body of the APC Ex-agitators Forum, APCEF, Delta State, have passed a vote of confidence on the newly appointed Administrator of PAP, Dr Dennis Otuaro, with a commendation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the appointment.

    The group also passed a vote of confidence on the President Tinubu-led federal government in its concerted efforts to fix the nation’s economy.

    Read Also: No to bully in schools

    In a statement issued by APCEF, yesterday, signed by General Ekiyes, the group lauded Otuaro on his new assignment, noting that the President Tinubu-led government was doing everything possible to ameliorate the current economic challenges faced by Nigerians.

    The group said: “We, members of Phase 3 of the Presidential Amnesty Programme under the aegis of APC Ex-agitators Forum hereby pass a vote of confidence on Dr Dennis Otuaro on his appointment as the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

    “We are here to say that Otuaro’s appointment is well-deserved as he was born and bred in the once turbulent Niger Delta creeks, who understand the pains and challenges of his people. He was born in the creek, schooled in the creek and has also been going through the pains and sufferings like any other Niger Deltan.

    “So, we commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing Otuaro as the administrator of the programme, who is a square peg in a square hole. We believe with Otuaro at the helm of affairs of the programme, transformations are sure for beneficiaries.

  • N/Delta: Ex-agitators rule out creeks as 200 acquire auto skills

    A total of 200 ex-agitators of Niger Delta youths on Thursday, pledged not to go back to the creeks following their training in various trades in Nnewi, Anambra State.

    The youths underwent a 9-month training in automobile, auto-painting, welding, electronics, among others under the federal government Education for Employment programme in collaboration with Innoson Kiara Academy.

    Speaking during their graduation ceremony held at the Innoson premises in Nnewi, one of them, Abraham Peter, thanked the federal government for partly keeping to its promises of equipping them with skills.

    He however called for the completion of the promise by empowering them so they would not contemplate going back to the creeks.

    “Training someone with skills without a corresponding empowerment is like throwing a stone into a river.

    “The skills we’ve acquired will only be useful if the government empowers us financially so we will not be tempted to go back to the creeks,” he said.

    Another beneficiary, Gbalubi David, said the training would not only enable him start his own business, but train other unemployed youths.

    He however advocated for extension of the training period, saying the nine months duration was inadequate in view of the volume of the training packages.

    Earlier, the CEO, Innoson Kiara Academy, Mr. Endi Ezengwa, said the Innoson Kiara in partnership with the Presidential Amnesty Office, had trained over 600 ex-agitators since three years of its commencement.

    He said the trainees had undergone examination by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons (NAPTIP) to give the exercise national credibility.

    Describing Innoson factory as unique, Ezengwa said the peculiarity of the environment provides the trainees with both skills and entrepreneurial spirit to compete favorably with their contemporaries.

    He assured the graduants of federal government’s assistance towards their establishment, even as he canvassed for federal and state governments’ patronage to ensure the market’s steady relevance.

  • Boroh to Niger Delta ex-agitators: help build economy

    Boroh to Niger Delta ex-agitators: help build economy

    The Federal Government has urged 200 Niger Delta ex-agitators, who graduated from the Innoson-Kiara Academy, Nnewi in Anambra, to use their skills positively to grow the economy.

    The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh (Rtd), spoke at the Batch ‘B’ graduation ceremony.

    A statement by the Academy Head, Media and Communication Department, Mr Piriye Kiyaramo, said the ex-agitators underwent a nine months intensive automobile course in automobile manufacturing, engineering and maintenance.

    Gen. Boroh commended the graduating ex-agitators for making President Muhammadu Buhari and the Federal Government proud in their performance during the training.

    The special adviser said the entrepreneurship drive of the Presidential Amnesty Programme was geared toward creating an enabling environment for beneficiaries to develop their full potential in different vocational skills.

    “This is with a view to making you lead productive and creative lives in line with the ongoing reintegration process of 30,000 ex-agitators in the Niger Delta region.

    “The focus of the Presidential Amnesty Programme is to create the enabling environment for youths in the region, particularly the ex-agitators to have sustainable sources of livelihood as they reintegrate with their communities,” he said.

    The Chief Executive Officer of the academy, Mr Endi Ezengwa, said the trainees were exposed to practical automobile engineering works during their practical training at the factory.

    Ezengwa said of the 199 candidates that sat for the National Technical Certificate (NTC) from the National Business and Technical Examinations Board, 195 bagged distinctions while four others made credits.

    He said that Innoson Car Manufacturing Company was willing to absorb the graduands, with a salary of N60, 000 which would be reviewed upwards at the end of a probation period of one year.

    Ezengwa urged the state governments in the Niger Delta  to create an enabling environment for the graduands to put into practice the skills they have acquired from the academy.

    “We encourage the respective state governors to actively engage us to establish mini-automobile factories in the Niger Delta area,” he added.

    He commended Boroh for his vision and sincerity in driving the youth empowerment scheme through various vocational trainings, describing him as a “focused man, who has his people at heart”.

    Ezengwa said the course covered automobile manufacturing, auto maintenance, auto mechanical, auto electrical, auto painting, welding, among other aspects of the automobile engineering production chain.

    He noted that the Amnesty Office under Gen. Boroh had introduced innovative approach to fill the manpower gaps in critical skills among youths in the Niger Delta.

    The Project Coordinator and representative of the Vendor, Mr Momoh Aminu, explained that the rationale for the training was to ensure that beneficiaries were equipped with marketable skills.

    “The idea had been for everyone that participates in the training to have mastery of a particular area and then everybody now works compositely toward the end product.

    “So far, the trainees have been exceptional because within a short period they have been able to display capacity in assimilating the theory and practical aspects of the training and this is really good for Nigeria.

    “At the end of the day, we will be talking about people, who are armed with critical technical skills which the country needs, not just for the development of the Niger Delta area, but for Nigeria in general,” he stressed.

    Speaking on behalf of the ex- agitators, President of the trainees, Mr Raphael Ajalaja, expressed satisfaction with the leadership of Gen. Boroh, especially the manner he handled the programme.

    Ajalaja also expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for giving them such opportunity to be trained at the centre.

    Another graduate, Miss Gloria Edward, said the automobile training had developed their capacity to several business opportunities.

    Edward urged the Amnesty Coordinator to empower them at the end of the programme to enable them establish their automobile businesses.

    The high point of the ceremony was the presentation of three vehicles; 18-seater bus, 4×4 wheel truck and a 32-seater bus assembled from the scratch to the finish by the ex-agitators.

  • N’Delta ministry to collaborate with ex-agitators, says minister

    Minister of Niger Delta ministry, Useni Ogoro, has said his ministry will collaborate with ex-agitators in the region to ensure a sustainable peace in the region during a summit organized by ex-agitators held at Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), conference center, Effurun, Delta state.

    Ogoro who chaired a security summit organized by ex-militant leaders under the auspices of Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators, said the National Youth Game programme approved by the council when implemented will provide employment and promote peace in the region.

  • Amnesty trained 14,366 ex-agitators, says Boroh

    Amnesty trained 14,366 ex-agitators, says Boroh

    The Coordinator, Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh has said about 14,366 ex-agitators were trained in the programme.

    Gen. Boroh spoke at News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja, yesterday.

    He explained their capacities has been developed in agriculture, automobile engineering, and aviation, with a further look at the sports sector.

    “As we speak, we have trained over 5,000 in education-capacity development, and over 22, 000 in skill acquisition and entrepreneurship development.”

    He said the programme granted amnesty to 30,000 ex-agitators of Niger Delta.

    Gen. Boroh said from now till December 17, more ex-agitators would be graduating from the scheme.

    According to him, its education programme is winding down and there is need to graduate more beneficiaries.

    He said education is a pivotal investment for human and economic development, influenced by the environment within which it exists.

    Gen. Boroh said the President Muhammadu Buhari administration was aware today’s youths need specific skills to survive the competitive world.

    The presidential aide said beneficiaries, now graduates, were aware of the socio-economic scenario of the nation and can help in developing the region and the nation.

    According to him, the beneficiaries can contribute towards nation-building.

    “From now till December 17, you will be hearing of graduations because we are winding down and positively for that matter as well as empowerment.

    “We are using government institutions, we think the resources we spent in this programme will be better utilised within the country.

    “That is why we are using government-owned institutions instead of institutions abroad, this is our focus.

    “Right now, we have trained about 14,366 ex-agitators in the programme and their capacities have also been developed in the areas of agriculture, automobile engineering, aviation sector and then we are also looking at the sports sector,‘’ he said.

    He said other areas included skill acquisition, entrepreneurship and educational development.

    Gen. Boroh stressed the need to sustain peace in the Niger Delta toward ensuring infrastructural development.

    He said the existence of peace was not negotiable as it will bring development in infrastructure, among others, in the region

    According to him, before now, Nigeria has a lot of infrastructure that were functioning, such as Ascon Oil Company in Delta State, rolling mills, railways and roads.

    He added that most of these were destroyed by conflicts in the region

    Boroh said the establishment of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) was to ensure peace and replace damaged infrastructure.

    The coordinator said we should revamp these infrastructure to create jobs that will bring peace, stability and development in the region.

    He said: “I was a young man 84/85 in Warri, I was a battalion militant when these infrastructure were functioning and massive jobs were created but now they have become moribund.

    “It’s a concern for the government to ensure that at least some measures of start over to revamp these infrastructure are achieved to create job opportunities that will ensure peace, stability and development in the Niger Delta region.”

    The Presidential aide praised the administration for bringing infrastructural development as well as peace to people of the region.

    He said the economic impact that infrastructure improvement has on nation building cannot be over-emphasised.

    According to the coordinator, the growth of any country’s economy hugely depends on the status of its infrastructure.

    He added that the dearth of infrastructure places serious limitation on human capital development.

    “The programme is one of the pivotal institutions responsible for ensuring peace, stability and development of the Niger Delta region.

    “We express deep gratitude and appreciation to Mr President for ensuring that his commitment during his campaign has come to bear.

    “He ensured that the Niger Delta region is of concern to him and that he would, with support from others, ensure the region is peaceful, stable and developing.’’

    On money spent so far, he said ‘’frankly speaking, peace is expensive…, it is difficult to calculate the exact figure.

    “But importantly, there is now peace; people are happy,’’ he said.

    Boroh, however, reiterated the government’s commitment in ensuring lasting peace in the area.

  • Ex-militants promise to back Buhari’s peace moves in N/Delta

    Ex-militants promise to back Buhari’s peace moves in N/Delta

    • Boroh carpets those maligning Buhari, Amnesty Office

    Ex-agitators in the Niger Delta have promised to support President Muhammadu Buhari’s initiatives in the Niger Delta.

    This decision was announced after a meeting between the ex-agitators of phases 2 and 3 and the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig-Gen. Paul Boroh (rtd.) in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

    Gen. Boroh said it was imperative for the leaders to meet regularly with officials of the Amnesty Programme to share ideas, make observations and proffer solutions that would bring about peace, infrastructural change and human capital development of thousands of the youth captured in the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

    He emphasised that conflict and violence were no resolutions to the crisis and urged the leaders to constantly remind the ex-agitators in their camps not to breach the peace in the country and ensure that the non-violence agreement signed at Obubra that led to the declaration of Amnesty in 2009 is upheld.

    Gen. Boroh urged the leaders to use all channels of dialogue in solving problems to allow for government’s developmental projects like the rail construction, modular refineries and the community pipeline surveillance to take off as this would be of benefit to the people and create massive job employment for the youth of the region.

    Special Assistant to the President on Economic Council Donald Wokoma said the Amnesty office had the responsibility of ensuring peace and stability in the region to allow related agencies carry out their projects.

    He advised the ex-agitators to take advantage of opportunities made available by the government to develop themselves and stop excess and unfounded petitioning of appointees.

    The Amnesty Office Head of Data Management, Maj. Bernard Ochoche(Rtd) and Head Post Training and Engagement Major Abdul Mati (rtd), addressed issues of late payment of stipends to ex-agitators arising from delay in budget passage, recertification of previous qualification from trainings earlier acquired to meet standards for employment, agriculture as the new focus of training, empowerment after training, ongoing partnerships targeted at job creation for graduates and trained delegates.

    Phase 2 Leader Aso Tambo appealed for enlightenment of ex-agitators on new programmes of the office and approaches and decisions of government to move the region forward.

    He said the basis for acceptance of amnesty was to ensure the development of the Niger Delta.

    He described the Special Adviser’s human capital development plans as soft landing that should be maximised by critical stakeholders in the Niger Delta region.

    In another development, Gen. Boroh described as unfortunate comments from some quarters maligning his office and the character of President Buhari over the implementation of projects under the Amnesty Programme.

    He described those responsible as faceless and disgruntled politicians and contractors whose efforts would only strengthen his resolve to carry out the mandate given to his office by the President.

    Gen. Boroh called on the people of the Niger Delta and Nigerians to take ownership of Buhari’s peace and development initiatives for the region.

  • Isoko ex-agitators want inclusion in Niger Delta talks

    A group, the Coalition of Isoko Ex-agitators Leaders, has called on the Federal Government to include former militants from the Isoko clan into the ongoing peace building talks.

    The leader of the group, which includes 15 former militants gangs, Comrade Omoyibo Julius, who spoke in Warri after an extraordinary meeting of the group, lamented that while other former agitators have had their grievances addressed. The Isoko nation has been neglected.

    Omoyibo said the oil companies operating in Isoko land notably Shell and Agip have enjoyed unprecedented peace and protection of the Isoko people buy have given nothing in return to the host communities

    The former militant said:” We have a situation of poor development,  zero social infrastructure. There is no social amenities such as schools and health centers; poor standard of living in Isoko land. But if  the government and the oil firms have tried to be forthright and responsive, in the time past, we would not have found ourselves in this decadence. “

    He urged the government to promptly consider involving the Isoko nation in the on-going pipeline security surveillance project as well as the employment of qualified isoko citizens into the oil companies operating in the region.

  • Amnesty Office partners agency to engage 4000 ex-agitators

    The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig-Gen. Paul Boroh, is partnering the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board.

    The objective is to get the board to assist in the engagement of over 4000 beneficiaries of the Amnesty Programme.

    The programme has a  pool of over 13000 already trained beneficiaries in various vocational activities.

    Gen. Boroh, who led a delegation of stakeholders and officials of the Amnesty Office, met with the Executive Secretary,  Simbi Kesiye Wabote and officials of the agency yesterday, at the boards national headquarters in Yenegoa, to brainstorm on strategies to engage trained beneficiaries of the Amnesty Programme.

    The Executive Secretary expressed his delight on how the Amnesty Programme is being run, laying emphasis on the focus on agriculture. He promised to do everything  to assist Gen. Boroh to engage all beneficiaries of the Amnesty Programme.

    The Special Adviser briefed the Executive Secretary on how far the Amnesty Office has gone with training and empowerment of the beneficiaries. He highlighted the skills most of the beneficiaries have acquired and urged multinationals and government agencies to engage these youths rather than importing manpower from other countries.

  • Ex-agitators divided over leadership in Ondo

    Former militant leaders in oil producing communities of Ondo State are divided over the purported dissolution of the executive committee of Ilaje Dynamic Patriots (IDP), popularly called “Gwama Boys”.

    The Ilaje Dynamic Patriots, which comprises ex-agitators, was created to defend the interest of Ilaje youths.

    A statement by Taiwo Ikuesan, who is allegedly parading himself as the new chairman of the association, has attracted  criticisms from “authentic” members of the association.

    A statement yesterday by the chairman of the congress, Metelewawon Kaffy, said Aganyebi Kosieda remained the authentic chairman of the association.

    Kaffy, who issued the statement at the end of the group’s emergency meeting at Igbokoda, faulted the election conducted by those he called disloyal members, where a new executive committee was inaugurated.

    The statement reads: “The attention of the congress leadership of the Ilaje Dynamic Patriots (Gwama Boys) has been drawn to the activities of some impostors parading themselves as the new executive leaders of association.

    “We have, therefore, considered it exigent and imperative to alert the public to disregard these elements, as the tenure of the incumbent executive leadership, led by Aganyebi Koseda, extends till 2018.

    “Again, we implore the police, other security agencies, the state government, other relevant authorities and the public to discountenance the actions of the aforementioned elements and save our association from this looming politically motivated polarisation.”

    The group wondered why the present executive committee was purportedly dissolved, when its tenure would last till 2018.

    It said: “It is illegal and unconstitutional for some people to think they can dissolve the present executive committee, when its tenure has not expired.

    “The tenure of the present executives will expire in 2018 and any group should wait till that time before they can make any change.”

    The group urged Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredoku (SAN) to intervene in the matter, before it degenerates into a crisis.

     

  • Amnesty Office begins verification of Abia ex-agitators

    Amnesty Office begins verification of Abia ex-agitators

    The Presidential Amnesty Office and the Abia State government have begun a verification to ascertain whether or not Abia indegenes are beneficiaries of the programme. The exercise conducted by the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig-Gen. Paul Boroh ( Rtd ) and the Senior Special Assistant to Abia State Governor on Niger Delta Affairs and Coordinator, Amnesty Programme in the state, Comrade Kingsley Nna, took place in Port Harcourt and Okrika.

    Gen Boroh, who addressed the beneficiaries, told reporters that 236 indegenes of Abia State are beneficiaries of the programme in a document that was handed over to him on assumption of office in June  2014. He said this number was documented as Abia indigenes, including their local government of origin.

    He explained that no disarmament took place in Abia  in 2009 when Amnesty was pronounced by the then President Umaru Musa Yar’adua for ex-militants in the region. He said youths from different parts of the country who carried arms at the time were in various camps in Rivers State and hitherto disarmed in those camps, including Abia indegenes.

    The Amnesty Coordinator said the verification, which had a massive turn up of over 200 ex-agitators from the state, were confirmed through a series of identification process. Gen Boroh said the exercise was also in line with government’s commitment to ensure indigenes of oil- producing areas benefit from plans designed for youth empowerment.

    Nna described the verification as a fact-finding mission to ascertain the true state of things as it concerns Abia indigenes and the programme. He said it was an ongoing process expected to develop Abia indigenes in the Amnesty Programme. He emphasized that their interest and others who disarmed was paramount and the verification necessary for proper identification to give the programme a human face and that all are carried along and no more regarded as ghost beneficiaries.

    The beneficiaries spoke in Abia dialect, mentioned their political appointees, paramount rulers and clan heads to prove their origin. Over eighty percent of the beneficiaries have received training and empowerment. They thanked Gen Boroh for their training and empowerment. Over 150 of the ex-agitators disarmed in High Chief Ateke Tom’s camp, others disarmed from the camps of Fara Dagogo, Soboma George, Burst line and many others.