The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh (Rtd), has assured Ijaw youths that President Muhammadu Buhari would not abandon them.
Boroh, also the Coordinator, Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) said this when 25 Ijaw Youths groups held a rally at the gates of the Presidential Amnesty Office in Abuja on Tuesday.
The groups include the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) and the National Association of Izon-Ebe Students.
Boroh described the rally as a demonstration of their support for the Buhari administration and assured them of Federal Government’s commitment to create mass employment, sustainable peace and development of the Niger Delta.
“The President, who is interested in your matter, will ensure your welfare by sustaining the Programme.
“The President plans to create mass employment through the Agriculture Initiative and the Modular Refinery in the region; he is a President you can trust.
“There is going to be mass inclusiveness of all of us in the Niger Delta Development Programmes.
“If you go to Gelegele today, the people are happy with the Quick Impact Project and the government will do more,” he told the youths.
Responding to the youths anxiety that the PAP may be shutdown, the presidential aide said this was not on the cards, but explained that some aspects of the Programme are winding down.
Boroh gave an example of the off shore education programme in which 92 per cent of the beneficiaries have graduated from various universities, especially in Europe and America.
The leader of the youths, Mr Priye Ebizimo, who is also the Chairman of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Abuja Chapter, expressed delight that the Programme is not being shut down.
Ebizimo said: “While the Amnesty Programme cannot last forever, it is more of a journey than a destination”.
He expressed their appreciation to the presidential aide on his achievements, adding that the youths at their meeting and news conference passed a vote of confidence on his leadership style.
He pleaded with the presidential aide that the resultant increase in the production of oil and gas companies in the region should be retained.
The PAP coordinator recently disclosed that the training of delegates has commenced in cluster farms in the nine oil producing states.
He said, “my office has projected to empower and create 10,000 new farms owners, who will then employ 40,000 farm workers.
“Their logistics and processing agricultural value chain will also create additional 30,000 new jobs, thus making our Agricultural empowerment scheme to provide 80,000 new jobs.”
Boroh further disclosed that his office has concluded discussions with a trawler company, the Greek Fisheries Institute to use the Burutu sea port in Delta state to train and engage 1,000 ex-militants into commercial aquaculture fishing business.
Support Quality Journalism in the Niger Delta Region
Join us in our mission to bring development journalism, cultural preservation, and environmental awareness to the forefront. Your contribution makes a difference in the lives of the people of the Niger Delta. Donate today and be a part of the change!
Leave feedback about this
You must be logged in to post a comment.