A total of 113 former militants have been employed in the country’s maritime, welding and fabrication sectors in continuance of the federal government’s amnesty programme that has successfully quelled fightings and killings in the Niger Delta region.
Organisations like Proclad Group of Companies in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) offered employment to 30 of the 150 ex-militants trained by the Proclad Academy, as reward for the exceptional conduct and performance of the ex-militants during their training; while the Amnesty Office, in its drive to disarm, rehabilitate and re-integrate the former militants, itself offered employment to another 24 ex-militants-turned-maritime-trainees.
“The office, in collaboration with the International Centre for Non-violence and Peace Development (ICNPD), secured the employment through a partnership with Proclad Academy,” explained a statement released in Abuja by Mr. Daniel Alabrah, head of media and communications of the Amnesty Office.
“Mr. Kingsley Kuku, who is the special adviser to the president on Niger Delta affairs and the chairman of PAO, also facilitated the immediate employment of 40 maritime trainees by the Century Energy Group in Nigeria. Four welding and fabrication trainees have been employed in Nigeria by Plants and Processing Service Company, while five were offered jobs in South Africa by Ashland Investment Services.”
The Office further disclosed that another 10 ex-militants were offered employment by Learning Resources in Ghana, adding that it would continue working with relevant partners and stakeholders in the Niger Delta and across the world with the aim of getting some other trained ex-militants employed.
It then appealed to companies in the Niger Delta and other parts of the country to employ those who have passed through the Amnesty Programme in order to enable them contribute to the development of the country — in compliance with the Local Content Law, which seeks the employment of Nigerians into Nigerian companies.
