The government of Cross River State has sponsored a Two Week Innovative And Integrated Agricultural Value Chain Training to be held in Nassarawa State for 200 Bakassi repentant militants.
The beneficiaries passed through a rigorous profiling and sensitization by the State Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Mr Patrick Egbede and the State Security Adviser, retired Major-General Obongha Ubi.
Addressing the repentant militants before departure, the Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Mr Patrick Egbede said the programme was borne out of the magnanimity of the State Governor, Prince Bassey Otu to accommodate all categories of persons in the State in line with his government’s ‘People First’ mantra aimed at creating sustainable livelihoods for individuals.
The Commissioner added that the initiative was based on the Governor’s interest is to lay a good foundation for aggressive agricultural revolution in the State that would boost the economy and increase employment particularly among the youths.
Mr Egbede explained that the present batch brings to 400 indigenes benefiting from the training and empowerment.
“This set of trainees makes up the second batch having succeeded in training the same number of people some months ago with resounding results in both character and learning. The training will be climaxed with empowerment by the State Government to ginger all of you into productive ventures with attendant wealth creation and to attain the enviable status of employers of labour,” he said.
The Commissioner pointed out that the agricultural training programme would cover every aspect of modern agricultural practice, assuring the beneficiaries of their chance of becoming self reliant and may never wish to indulge in insurgency again.
He advised them to be ambassadors of the State by exhibiting good character and to adhere to the rules and regulations of the school.
On his part, the State Security Adviser, retired Major General Obongha Ubi urged the repentant Bakassi militants to reciprocate the State Governor’s kind gesture by strictly adhering to the rules governing the programme, throughout and after the training, as Cross River State has zero tolerance for any form of misconduct.
Major General Ubi told them that the monitoring team of the State Government would continually beam its search lights to identify any form of default.
While commending them for their courage to lay down their arms and embrace peace, he advised other militants to accept the reform and reintegration programme of the present administration.
The State Security Adviser urged them to take a cue from their colleagues and enjoy the benefits of peace which is capable of transforming their lives for the better.
Source: Praise Mba
