The Federal Government has unveiled its pilot scheme for former militant members from the Niger Delta region.
The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, Brig. Gen. Paul Boroh, rtd, while disclosing this, said 500 ex-militant youths would be trained in various agro-based related skills as a means of engaging the youths in agriculture sector.
Boroh, made the disclosure during the graduation and passing out ceremony of ex-militants trainees at the Bio Resources Development Centre, Odi, Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
The Amnesty programme coordinator, called for the diversification of Nigeria’s economy from oil to agriculture.
According to Boroh, “ The shift from reliance on agriculture to over reliance on oil income has had a tremendous impact on agriculture and the localities where crude petroleum is found and has become the harbinger of hunger, starvation, unemployment and ecosystem degradation and that is the bottom-line of the resource base conflict in the Niger Delta.
“President Buhari has embark on drastic diversification of the economy from oil and gas dependence and agriculture provides the nation the opportunity for growth, investment, wealth and job creation.
“To successfully address the imperative of diversification, promotion of peace and development in the Niger and achieving Mr. President Agenda on peace and development we are collaborating with various institutions within and outside the country to train our youths in various agriculture related fields.”
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