PAP Secures Understanding with Customs, NITDA to Engage Ex-agitators

Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa

The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has secured understanding with the Nigeria Customs Service (NSC) and National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to mainstream former agitators of the Niger Delta in their recruitment, scholarship and capacity-building programmes.

The Interim Administrator of PAP, Maj.-Gen. Barry Ndiomu revealed the plan in a statement issued on Friday after separate meetings with the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali and Director General of NITDA, Mr. Kashifu Abdullahi.

At the meeting with NITDA’s leadership, the interim administrator requested that qualified and skilled ex-agitators should be engaged in Nigeria’s labour market through partnership with the agency.

After the engagement, Ndiomu confirmed that his request was embraced, which according to him, required the management of NITDA “to set up an inter-agency committee charged with the responsibility of engaging ex-agitators in the new digital world.”

Under the arrangement, the interim administrator noted that qualified and skilled ex-agitators would be considered for employment, digital training or scholarship opportunities relating to information and communication technology.

Responding to the request of PAP’s interim administrator, NITDA DG said: “We shall work with you to ensure you succeed in your assignment. We shall therefore set up an inter-agency committee, which will serve as a bridge between NITDA and PAP. “

Abdullahi said: “It will equally serve as a warehouse of information on digital training opportunities. Potential trainees would have easy and seamless access to the opportunities open to them.”

“The train-the-trainer, one of its flagship digital training programmes would be of immense benefit to the ex-agitators as it offers them the opportunity to earn monthly stipends while improving on their digital skills as trainers.

“Graduates of NITDA training programmes will be provided with the necessary tools to compete with their counterparts elsewhere as global digital entrepreneurs or global employees.

“The involvement of Microsoft certification in Nigeria implies that trainees can market their skills and competence at the global space as global citizens,” NITDA DG explained.

While meeting the interim administrator recently, the comptroller-general of the customs service specifically observed that the service would be fair to all Nigerians irrespective of their state of origin.

Ali, a retired colonel of the Nigerian Army, however said that the body is ready to partner with the PAP in future recruitment exercises hopefully before the end of this administration.

“Even though we may not grant the South-south any special concessions, efforts will be made to ensure the quotas allocated to each state are filled in addition to the four mandatory persons per local government model of recruitment already entrenched in the system,” the comptroller-general said.

“The customs will, as usual, be fair, just and equitable to all. We are always transparent in our activities so as to give equal opportunities to those who merit the chance to be engaged,” he said.

He, however, assured the interim administrator that the customs service “is willing and ready to assist with security services as its marine units are located in all the Niger Delta states.”