FG empowers 73 ex-N/Delta militants

The federal government has empowered 73 ex-Niger Delta militants, Daily Trust on Sunday gathered. They were empowered to go into poultry farming, fish farming among others.

The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs and the Coordinator of Presidential Committee on Amnesty Program, retired BrigadierGeneral Paul Boro, at the commissioning of a farm set up by the Amnesty office at George-Ama, Okrika in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State, said agriculture is a viable alternative source of revenue for Nigeria.

He said agriculture has the potential to provide sustainable development and improve the socio-economic wellbeing of people of the Niger Delta region.

He said the sustenance of the Amnesty program for ex- militants in the Niger Delta has helped to entrench peace.

“We are here to bring federal government presence to the Niger Delta region. We have to focus on agriculture and aquaculture as an alternative to oil.

“We must think fast on how to use agriculture as an alternative. We are involving the youths in agricultural enterprise for sustainable economic empowerment and we cannot do that without involving the traditional institutions. Our youths will be engaged and will benefit from the agricultural program. We have a responsibility to provide opportunity for our youths. We’ll be engaging them in different agricultural enterprises such as poultry, fish and crop farming,” he said.