Amnesty office, partners meet to address Niger Delta economy

he Presidential Amnesty Program Office (PAP) is to continue its collaboration with development partners on improving economic activities in the Niger Delta region of the country.

Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh (rtd), special adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the PAP, said this when he received a delegation of development partners in Abuja.

A statement by Mr Charles Dafe, PAP Director of Information and Media, disclosed that the collaboration would complement Federal Government efforts in resolving the region’s challenges.

Boroh said the current economic reality requires restructuring of the Amnesty programme to achieve its target of finding lasting solution to youth restiveness in the region.

He said that the office had an exit strategy to ensure gradual wind down of the programme.

Boroh explained that the programme was currently in the reintegration phase of Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR).

He pointed out that programme also creates jobs for youths through agriculture in line with the government’s green alternative initiative, adding that the office would train about 10,000 ex-agitators in various forms of agriculture.

The leader of the delegation, Mr Charles Ochodo, commended the special adviser on his foresight of reintegration and restructuring for exiting the programme.

He added that such initiatives would attract development partners to provide foreign assistance in the areas of peace building and youth development through training in agriculture and agro-marketing programmes.

Ochodo said the delegation would work with the amnesty office in developing a strategic framework to manage youth restiveness in the Niger delta region.

Development partners at the meeting included NESTAIR, FOSTAL, MADE (UNDER DFID), USAID, PIN AND NSRP.