The Guardian (Nigeria)

With skill centres, no excuse for IOCS to deny N’delta youths jobs, says Ndiomu

• IYC warns, urges Tinubu to address hardship, relocate IOCS to N’delta

- From Matthew Ogune ( Abuja) and Julius Osahon ( Yenagoa)

INTERIM Administra­tor of the Presidenti­al Amnesty Programme ( PAP), Major General Barry Ndiomu ( rtd), has assured the youths of Niger Delta of massive employment from Internatio­nal Oil Companies ( IOCS) when vocational training centres are fully activated across the oil rich region.

According to the Interim Administra­tor, the longstandi­ng complaint by IOCS remained that youths in the region lacked requisite industry skills for employment, a narrative, he noted, that the PAP was working hard to change.

Ndiomu stated this, yesterday, in an interview with newsmen at the Amnesty Office in Abuja.

He expressed strong commitment of PAP to complete and activate all vocational training centres across the region to help the amnesty programme reach its full potential and ensure sustainabi­lity of livelihood­s.

Ndiomu, who insisted that the Amnesty Programme has served its purpose, said there are some areas that have not reached its full potential, especially the completion of vocational training centres. He said: “If we are able to complete these centres, we can now domicile training of restive youths in the region. One of the things I have been doing since I came on board is to source for funds to complete these projects.”

MEANWHILE, the umbrella body of Ijaw youths worldwide, the Ijaw Youth Council ( IYC), has, again, warned President Bola Tinubu to, without further delay, activate plans to relocate the headquarte­rs of the Internatio­nal Oil Companies ( IOCS) to the Niger Delta or face dire consequenc­es.

The youth body also urged Tinubu to immediatel­y address the hardship being faced by Nigerians, as citizens are yet to see specific economic recovery plans, which the Federal Government, under Tinubu, is making to make life easier for the masses.

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