Abuja – A British Trade Mission said on Wednesday that it would partner with the Presidential Amnesty Office to re-integrate over 30,000 ex-agitators in the Niger Delta.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the mission was led by the Representative of Portsmouth Highbury College, Mr Richard Grozny.
The Representative made this known during a courtesy visit to the Amnesty Office in Abuja.
Grozny said such collaboration was geared towards reintegrating ex-agitators into meaningful ventures.
“The Niger Delta region has suffered a lot of deprivation in the past; but it should not allow the past challenges to continue to prevent it from moving ahead.
“Re-integration of former agitators in the society by the Amnesty Office is something that is welcomed by the team.
“The team will work with the Amnesty Office in the reintegration programme, especially as it provides the mission the opportunity to further develop the region,” he said
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Grozny said that the re-integration would lead to peace and economic development of the region and benefit other regions of the country.
He urged the government to evolve solutions to end poverty and unemployment bedeviling the region and the country.
According to him, “the mission is in the country to introduce British companies willing to work with Nigeria.”
Earlier, the Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh (retired) said that re-integration of former agitators should be the responsibility of government, corporate organisations and individuals.
Boroh, who also doubles as the Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Niger Delta Affairs, said that 30,000 ex-agitators needed to be re-integrated into the society.
“The Amnesty Programme focuses on sustaining the peace, which was realised on disarmament and demobilization of ex-agitators.”
The coordinator said that PAP would collaborate with international interest groups such as the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
He listed others as United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), several international missions and embassies in Nigeria.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that PAP has commenced collaboration with international agencies towards integrating ex-agitators from the Niger Delta region, who were trained under the programme. (NAN)