Kingsley Kuku, the former Special Adviser on Niger Delta Affairs and Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme during President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, is urging the rehabilitation and completion of vocational training centers in the Niger Delta region.
Specifically addressing the vandalized training center in Kaiama, Kolokuma Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, which fell victim to criminal damage by hoodlums in 2019, Kuku emphasizes the urgent need for its rehabilitation.
During his visit to the Presidential Amnesty Office in Abuja on Wednesday, Kuku emphasized, “Bring back the center, no matter the cost. When revived, the facility can serve as an advanced training center for universities in the region, extending beyond its role as a facility for training ex-agitators.” His plea underscores the potential broader impact of restoring such vocational centers in the region.
Kuku commended late President Umar Yar’Adua, ex-Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari, as well as incumbent President Bola Tinubu for the creation and sustenance of the Programme respectively.
Commending the Aviation Resuscitation Programme for Pilots/Aircraft Maintenance Engineers under which some of the beneficiaries are currently undergoing their Type-rating Certification Programme in South Africa, he said, “In today’s Aviation Industry, any Pilot without Type-rating is nothing. You are touching lives. After what you are doing for them now, they will get jobs easily”.
He expressed delight that Ndiomu has brought back hope to the Niger Delta, and assured of his unalloyed support towards sustaining the gains of the Amnesty Programme.
The Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Major General Barry Ndiomu (retd) said the Amnesty Programme has not fully lived up to its objectives, Ndiomu recommended a possible transition of the scheme into “a Social Investment Agency” to directly impact the lives of youths in the region.
Ndiomu further lamented the vandalisation of the Kaiama Vocational Training Centre in Bayelsa.
He disclosed that when completed, the Vocational Training Center in Agadagba-Obon in Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State will be named after Kuku.
