ABUJA, Nigeria – The Presidential Amnesty Programme, PAP, announced on Friday, June 30, 2023, that it is sponsoring 75 pilots and aircraft engineers for type-rating training in South Africa and France.
Major General Barry Ndiomu (retd.), the Interim Administrator of PAP, revealed this while also providing updates on other initiatives and training programs.
Major General Ndiomu stated that the PAP discovered discrepancies in its database, with certain beneficiaries having multiple accounts linked to their Bank Verification Numbers, BVNs.
In total, 513 beneficiaries had 1370 accounts linked to their BVNs.
A new portal was created for the affected beneficiaries to regularize their accounts. Major General Ndiomu reported that, so far, 1,561 accounts have been cleared and fully paid.
In addition, he revealed that 847 delegates are currently undergoing training at the National Information Technology Development Agency.
These delegates are receiving certification in various ICT specialized fields including digital marketing, email marketing, social media marketing, computer appreciation, search engine optimization, as well as technical and computer writing.
Freston Akpor, the Special Assistant (Media) to the PAP CEO, highlighted Major General Ndiomu’s contributions towards the socio-economic sustainability of ex-agitators and young people in the Niger Delta.
Mr. Akpor mentioned that enormous employment opportunities have been provided for ex-agitators in the Niger Delta.
Akpor elaborated on the sponsorship, stating that of the 75 individuals being sponsored for training in the aviation sector, 35 are pilots and 40 are aircraft engineers.
He also highlighted the PAP Cooperative Scheme, which has been launched with an initial sum of N1.5 billion as seed money and an additional N100 million operational fund. The scheme is aimed at fostering economic development in the Niger Delta.
Furthermore, Akpor mentioned the efforts of the PAP in completing five vocational training centers in the region by clearing debts owed to contractors.
He stated that relevant institutions and partners have assessed the existing infrastructure, and the centers are expected to provide vital skills training for the youth in the region.
He praised Major General Ndiomu’s leadership and initiatives, stating, “The Presidential Amnesty Programme has gained a huge mileage from September last year through the initiatives introduced by General Ndiomu, and his managerial acumen has impacted positively on the programme.”
The PAP aims to reduce dependency and provide sustainable opportunities for young graduates and ex-agitators from the Niger Delta region.
