Amnesty Office, NABDA begin training of 500 ex-agitators in advanced agriculture

The Presidential Amnesty Programme and the National Biotechnology Development Centre (NABDA) has begun training of 500 ex-agitators in advanced farming methods.

A memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed recently in Abuja to mark the commencement of the training.Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brigadier General Paul Boroh hinted that the training would take place in batches.

According to him, the training is part of a three-prong programme aimed at domesticating training of ex-agitators, contributing to food security and gainfully engaging amnesty beneficiaries to be self-sustaining.

He told the agency’s Director General, Dr. Lucy Jumeyi Ogbadu that:“This relationship we are formalizing to train Amnesty delegates in advanced farming methods begins today, but we do not know when it will end. I am looking into the future where in the next 2-3 years, we will train tens of thousands of youths in the Niger Delta who will be engaged in sustainable income and can also engage other youths in the region.

“We must stop importing food, fish, toothpick, beef and water, we must provide internally for our basic needs.”Boroh added that the challenge of youths in all parts of the country is to be engaged positively. He therefore, advised states to engage in the re-integration programmes to curb youth restlessness in the country.

A statement signed by the media and communication consultant for the amnesty office, Owei Lakemfa, said the youths are to be trained in mushroom technology, fish production, snail and grass cutter farming.Other areas of training are poultry technology, and propagation of elite plants like banana, plantain and pineapple.

Responding, Dr. Ogbadu said the agency, and its parent ministry, the Ministry of Science and Technology are very excited to be asked to train ex-agitators in agriculture using modern methods and technology breakthroughs.

She added: “The nation is diversifying its economy and agriculture is a sure way of diversification. We have centres located across the nation, so training in agriculture can take place in any part of the country. There is no part of the country today that you do not experience youth restiveness. In some places they are looking for people to kidnap”.

“It is because these youths are not positively engaged that they have taking to this dirty means of making money. So we have to do whatever we can to help them stand on their own. Our centre is ready to do this but we are handicapped by funds”,

She assured General Boroh of the sense of dedication of the scientists that are earmarked to train the youths.“The scientists you see before you are dedicated to the extent that the crop of ex-agitators you are sending to us will be adequately trained and monitored. We will not disappoint you,” she added.