Beneficiaries of amnesty programme’ll transform economy, says Osinbajo

AFTER sharpening their skills in various vocations organised by the Presidential Amnesty Programme  (PAP), beneficiaries hold the key to the economy, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said in Lagos yesterday.

He assured that President Muhammadu Buhari-led would continue to create an enabling environment for beneficiaries of the programme to actualise their aspirations.

Speaking at the graduation of 137 beneficiaries at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, the vice president told the graduates that there are opportunities for linkages with relevant agencies for loans, grants and technical support for their prospective businesses.

Osibanjo, who was represented by a director in his office, Mrs. Lauren Braide, described the PAP as a much-needed intervention developed and implemented as part of a larger developmental agenda for the Niger Delta region.

He said: “I have no doubt that what you have learnt from this Programme will translate into significant personal and professional advancement for you and into great benefit for your communities and for the Nigerian economy as a whole.

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“The skills you have acquired under this programme are the backbone, the engine of Nigeria’s economy. Without our artisans, our technicians, our small business people, Nigeria’s economy would be a vastly less productive one.

“The programme has made available start-up kits and packages for your use; ensure that you use them for the purpose for which they have been given to you. As you proceed from here, never forget that hard work and integrity are non-negotiable, and will make all the difference you seek.

“As fashion designers, leather workers and technology professionals, apart from your service skills, the most important asset you will have will be your reputation – for honesty, diligence and reliability.”

Reaffirming government’s commitment to the full implementation of the New Vision for Niger Delta, an umbrella initiative aimed at fast-tracking the region’s development and ensuring that communities and people in the region benefit from the wealth of their land.

“It is not mere rhetoric when I say that young people are at the heart of our vision for the Niger Delta”, Osibanjo streed.

Coordinator of the Amnesty Programme, Prof. Charles Dokubo, said beneficiaries of the programme will henceforth get starter packs at the end of their training.