About 500 beneficiaries of the Presidential Amnesty Programme have been trained in various vocations and crafts at three different locations across Rivers State, South-South Nigeria.
The training was in the areas of agriculture, logistics management, wielding and fabrication, oil and gas, oil spill clean up and remediation among others.
While 110 of them were trained in modern farming techniques at the Krisdera Agro Allied farms in Omoku, about 200 were trained and certified at the SUNU Logistics Limited training centre. Another 145 obtained basic and advanced certificates in oil spill clean up after being trained at Giolee Global Resources Limited in Port Harcourt.
Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Major-General Barry Ndiomu (Rtd) in his goodwill message to the beneficiaries reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government to continuously expose Niger Delta Ex-agitators captured under the programme to various forms of training to enable them build capacity for greater productivity and self-reliance.
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General Ndiomu who identified manpower development as crucial to successful implementation of the Amnesty Programme, says they will continue to explore areas of cooperation and partnership with relevant public and private institutions to meet the training needs of beneficiaries in line with set objectives.
Ndiomu who was represented at the graduation ceremonies by some principal officers of Presidential Amnesty Programme, including the Head of Reintegration, Wilfred Musa; Special Adviser on Special Duties, Freston Akpor; and Head of Call Centre, Amazuo Bereprebofa said he has since assumption of office in September 2022 opened conversations with heads of relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs to seek employment opportunities for ex-agitators who have been trained under the Programme.
In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Thomas Peretu, the Interim Administrator urged the beneficiaries to sustain their positive disposition and assured them that the Federal Government remains committed to their welfare and wellbeing, promising to keep working towards consolidating on the gains of the amnesty Programme.

(Editor: Terverr Tyav)