By Davies Iheamnachor

The Presidential Amnesty Programme office has introduced new training package for ex-militants under the amnesty scheme.

The office disclosed that it has adopted the South-East business model in its training and empowerment of its beneficiaries to reduce the ex-agitators’ over-dependence on monthly stipends for survival.

The Interim Administrator, PAP, Col. Milland Dixon Dikio (retd), in a statement signed by his Special Adviser, Media, Nneotaobase Egbe, and released in Port Harcourt, urged ex-agitators to take innovation and entrepreneurship seriously.

Dikio explained that the new model would transform delegates into skilled entrepreneurs and employable citizens, adding that the model was designed to make trainees contribute meaningfully to the economy of the Niger Delta region and the country.

The amnesty boss said: “Thereafter, they will be encouraged to branch out or own subsidiaries of the parent company. The catch is that since the delegates are potential employees, they will be well trained to fit into the company offering the training. Those who do not make it will have themselves to blame for a missed opportunity.”

READ ALSO: Buhari rules out amnesty for bandits, insurgents

He said the system would stop the current multiplicity of the same empowerment and substandard packages that were not in line with the vision for the scheme.

Dikio said: “We have designed a holistic high quality empowerment package that will reduce delegates’ dependence on monthly stipends.
We cannot continue to say we are empowering our delegates and they cannot boast of anything to do or even find suitable jobs that suit the skills they have learnt.

“This is the model that is used by most businesses and organizations in the South – East and this has proven to be highly successful and effective”.

Addressing the PAP students, who visited the PAP’s office on Thursday to resolve some issues bordering on partial scholarships, Dikio said they (students) were expected to be innovative and good ambassadors of the Niger Delta.

He said: “When you successfully complete your education, it is only right that you go back to your community and look for opportunities to create wealth. If you look for job and you do not find any, why not create a job and even become an employer of labour? Is it better to just wait around for somebody to find you jobs?

“We will support innovative ideas that will make the Niger Delta a better place. It is the vision of the PAP to contribute to the development of the Niger Delta and make the region the best place to live and do business in.”

Vanguard News Nigeria