The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has revealed efforts towards the reorientation of youths between the age group of 12 and 18 years in order to drain the pipeline that leads to militancy.
This would ensure that a new generation of agitators do not arise in the Niger Delta region and the nation in general.
PAP Interim Administrator, Col. Milland Dixon Dikio (rtd), stated this while giving a keynote lecture at the Nigerian Defence College in Abuja on Monday.
Dikio said that PAP was confident about the new projects it’s embarking on, which are targeted at reorganisation and setting up ex-agitators to ensure lasting peace and security in the Niger Delta.
According to the PAP boss, the projects which will be implemented through various schemes like the Train, Employ and Mentor scheme, cooperatives, strategic conflict resolution and peace building programmes and others, are necessary to curb the possible emergence of new wave of militancy as calls for the termination of the programme have increased, especially with the present economic climate in the country.
The PAP boss further said that the peace being enjoyed in the Niger Delta region was not by accident as these strategies were purposefully launched to create an environment for peace and security and eventual development of the region, which would boost the region’s economy and the nation as a whole.
He said, “We have adopted a conflict resolution system that involves robust stakeholders engagement, strategic communication and rehabilitation and resettlement, peace building and reconciliation programmes.
“It is also pertinent to note that the proposed Niger Delta Stabilization programme targeted at age groups 12 to 18 involves reorientation and visioning of these group of youths to curb any new emergence of militancy in the Niger Delta.
“You’ll be pleased to know that some of the people whose responsibility is to block the roads when they have issues have come out to confess that they didn’t know better. They confessed that they were hired to block the roads and they did so because they were ignorant.
“Now, instead of the usual violent behaviour, they seek avenues for dialogue. We hold face to face meetings with the ex-agitators, talk about their issues and work out resolutions that benefit all. This has helped in mitigating many issues that otherwise would have led to breakdown of law and order in the region.”
Dikio stated that the Programme had adopted the use of strategic communication through its Strategic Communications Committee inaugurated last year to resolve some of the challenges confronting the ex-agitators. Among the achievements of the Strategic Communications committee is renewed trust, a better understanding by ex-militants, who blow up pipelines, of the negative effects on the environment and life in general. They have also come to see the opportunities for gainful employment available in the Niger Delta, and access to funds to enable the self employed to obtain loans and grow their businesses.
He further said that the PAP aimed to do a draw down that satisfied the Federal Government without creating an enabling environment for another conflict in the region.
He said that PAP was not acting alone in actualising its objectives of proper reintegration of ex-militants and development of the region, as it was collaborating with other government agencies, critical stakeholders, and players in the private sector to see these efforts come to fruition.