Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Prof. Charles Dokubo, said yesterday that President Muhammadu Buhari has kept to promises made to the people of Niger Delta towards the enhancement of peace and human capital development in the region.
He gave assurance that efforts would be intensified to explore employment opportunities, avenues for self-employment and massive engagement of beneficiaries of the Amnesty Programme.
Dokubo spoke on Sunday at Okochiri, Okirika Local Government of Rivers State on the sidelines of a colourful ceremony to mark the second coronation anniversary of HRM King Ateke Michael Tom, the Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom, Okirika.
He noted that the mandate of the Presidential Amnesty Programme is not only to train and empower enlisted beneficiaries but to deepen peace in the Niger Delta region through human capital development.
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“If you think my major interest is the empowerment of beneficiaries of the Amnesty Programme, that is just a bit of my mandate. My major work is to maintain peace and security in the Niger Delta as well as to enhance human capital development.
“Empowerment is part of human capital development. I was here for empowerment about two months ago, to empower those that had been trained by King Ateke Tom”.
“This is a celebration of what he has done; not only celebrating the second anniversary of his becoming a king, but also the fact that in collaboration with him, we have empowered people in the community he belongs.
“King Ateke Tom has been very instrumental in maintaining peace and security in the Niger Delta; his camp is a peaceful camp and those he trained are being empowered.
“They don’t look at any other person; they know that they will get whatever they deserve, and that is why it is so important empowering a king in the Niger Delta”.
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Dokubo commended President Buhari for his conviction on the Presidential Amnesty Programme as a vehicle to transform the Niger Delta region, expressing optimism that beneficiaries of the programme will become change agents not only for the Niger Delta but across the country and globally.
“We’ve done a lot of training. I was here recently for the graduation ceremony of our beneficiaries trained in oil and gas. The Niger Delta environment is most populated with oil and gas facilities; what we do is to empower our youths so that our people also will be qualified to compete and have the competitive edge with the basic technology in Niger Delta.
“And I strongly believe that because our people feel the positive impact of the Federal Government’s outreach, the promises kept, they are very happy. If we keep to promises, which President Buhari has done, there will be sustainable peace in the Niger Delta”.
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