Peace is not absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means. – Ronald Reagan
The amnesty programme granted to Niger Delta militants winds up next year, but a look at the state of affairs at the Niger Delta region doesn’t show that the amnesty programme achieved the purpose for which it was created in 2009 by the late President Musa Yar’Adua.
Perhaps one would have to wait for a few years for the benefactors of the amnesty programme to settle down, become relevant and drag a significant level of development to region which has benefitted massively from increased budgetary allocations without commensurate infrastructural development.
According to the Special Adviser on Niger Delta to the President and Coordinator of the Presidential amnesty programme, Brig Gen Paul Boroh, the programme has been a success story as it has transformed militants to electrical engineers, marine engineers etc.
He spoke during the presentation of a refurbished 200kva 11/415kv transformer and demonstration by the four best graduates from the just concluded Presidential Niger Delta Amnesty Programme on Electric Power Transformer Repair and Maintenance in Port Harcourt by Brainbox Matrix Services Limited.
One of the positives from the campaign is that people have transformed from militancy to be electrical engineers, pilots, sailors, etc. but the issue of militancy has equally grown in the Niger Delta creeks as there are currently several brands of militants.
In a bid to improve on the gains of amnesty the President should be keen on stabilizing the Niger Delta region through human capacity development as well as infrastructural development.
There is a need for an enabling environment where there are jobs and opportunities for these young graduates and technicians to be engaged otherwise they may be heading back to the oil pipelines.
According to Brig. Gen. Paul Boroh, the exit strategy of the presidential amnesty programme has the connotation of adequate requirements to ensure continuity.
According to him, this is linked to President Buhari’s promises during the campaigns when he said he was committed to ensuring the Niger Delta is stable during his administration and this came to manifestation during the flag off on the Ogoni clean-up.
Projects like the rail line running from Lagos to Calabar is expected to create room for job creation and infrastructural development of the region, while the proposed national carrier could guarantee seatime experience and employment opportunities to the sailors and engineers.
The president has also ensured that the pilot trainees in Jordan completed their Programme and ensured the development of human capacity development of the ex-agitators in agriculture which will ensure job, wealth creation as well as food security.
The fact that President Buhari also mandated the amnesty office to use the bio-resource center in Odi, Oyo, Cross River, is laudable and it demonstrates Mr. President’s interest to revamp the region.
