KINGSLEY KUKU TASK OFFSHORE TRAINING VENDORS ON COMMITMENT

July 31, 2012 Editor's Appointment (Guardian Newspaper)
SPECIAL Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Chairman, Presidential Amnesty Programme, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, has asked vendors handling the offshore training of Niger Delta youths currently in 21 countries to show more passion and commitment to the programme.

Kuku, according to a statement issued by the Head of Media and Communications, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, stated this recently at a meeting with some of the vendors against the backdrop of complaints and reports from trainees.

The Technical Assistant/Head, Reintegration Unit, Mr. Larry Pepple, who represented the chairman at the meeting, cautioned that it would no longer be business as usual.

“The new vision is that vendors must exhibit passion and commitment to the programme in line with the transformation agenda of the federal government. You must show that you have the capacity and capability to provide the requisite training.

“A situation where vendors reportedly abandon their centres and leave the trainees to their fate will no longer be tolerated. It is no longer business as usual as this office will henceforth sanction errant vendors. If you eat the profit from the training early in the day, you will pay for it later,” he said.
The new Head, Offshore Operations, Mr. Obase Okongor, a deputy director deployed from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, explained that the meeting was to rub minds in order to enhance the capacity of the vendors.

He said to facilitate their operations, an offshore desk under the programme will be established in Nigerian missions in countries the youths are being trained after due consultation with the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

“The desk officers will interface, as well as, monitor the performance of the vendors and the trainees. This office has been inundated with several complaints and we are determined to make our operations more fluid and efficient.
“We must also note that the behaviour of these youths in a foreign land affects the image of Nigeria, whether positively or negatively. So this meeting is important for us to set up structures on how to carry out our operations,” he said.

Okongor implored the vendors to join hands with the government in addressing the issue of stigmatisation of the youths as former militants.

“These are youths that have dropped their arms and have been demobilised. They are now in the phase of being re-integrated into society. It is, therefore, proper to refer to them as Niger Delta youths rather than as ex-militants. Calling them militants creates a negative image for them and for Nigeria in a foreign land.”

Vendors, who spoke at the meeting, identified some of their challenges to include late disbursement of funds, lack of co-operation from embassies on visa renewal, poor attitude of the trainees, as well as, their poor academic abilities.