World Stage
13 Feb 2011
Lagos (WorldStage Newsonline)-- The Federal Government of Nigeria lost over N3 trillion to the Niger Delta crisis between 2008 and 2010 when the restiveness in the region was at its peak, the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Kingsley Kuku, has disclosed.
Speaking during an interactive session with Niger Delta stakeholders over the weekend in Lagos, he explained that the loss of revenue was one of the reasons why the Federal Government resolved to pursue with all vigour the re- integration programme for ex- militants, with over 250 of them undergoing various vocational training programmes in marine welding and other skills in South Africa and Ghana.
+++
The Special Adviser added that the overall re- integration agenda of the Federal Government was to groom the ex- militants to become gainfully employed and settle into society as useful citizens.
"It must be emphasized that the placement of the trainees in skill acquisition /vocational programmes is based on the interests of the ex- militants in areas such as pipeline welding, under water welding, ocean diving, crane operations, oil drilling, automobile technology, fish farming and entrepreneurship."
He however expressed disenchantment over the sloppy attitude of the operators in the oil and gas industry, who have only pledged to set up a special purpose vehicle to help in the re- integration of 3,000 ex- militants enrolled for the amnesty programme, which he affirmed was insufficient.
He further explained that government was exploring options for the proposed support of the oil and gas industry, even as efforts were on to fast track the setting up of a special purpose vehicle to manage the application of the funds to execute defined initiatives.
He said : "One of the major initiatives is training and capacity building for 3,000 beneficiaries over a six to 48 months period. We are insisting that oil companies cater for the reintegration needs of more than 3,000 persons as well as guarantee job placements for skilled former combatants."
He listed the challenges that the government was grappling with on the Post Amnesty re- integration programme to include lack of inadequate training centres in Nigeria , as only the Petroleum Training Institute, Warri, Delta State
Other challenges were the sloppy attitude of trainees towards the programme, as there was conflict over initial expectation on monetary gains, lack of requisite qualification for those expressing interest in tertiary education, clustering over certain courses based on their exposure in the region of their training, funds constraints as well as flexibility.
Other issues that appeared knotty was the quick demobilization and reintegration of the presidential supplementary list of 6,166 who were drafted into the programme in October 2010.
No comments:
Post a Comment