AMNESTY FUNDS WELL UTILISED-NASS

The National Assembly has described the implementation of the amnesty programme for Niger Delta youths as judicious utilisation of public funds. Members of the Senate and House Committees on Niger Delta stated this in Johannesburg, South Africa, after completing their oversight/inspection visit to the Afrika Union Aviation Academy in Mafikeng and the Flight Training Services in Midrand, where 53 Niger Delta youths are being trained as pilots. Leader of the delegation and Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Niger Delta, Nurudeen Abatemi-Usman, expressed satisfaction that the programme was being properly implemented. His words: “We came here to assess how deep the amnesty programme is. We all know what brought about this programme because Nigeria decided to address a fundamental injustice to a section of the country. “From what we have seen and experienced during our interaction with the trainees, I can tell Nigerians that the amnesty programme gives us hope and we are very proud of these youths. The funds allocated to the programme are being judiciously used and we will continue to support and expand its scope.” Senator Abatemi-Usman described the young pilots as the future of Nigeria's aviation industry. Chairman of the House Committee on Niger Delta, Hon. Warman Ogoriba, commended the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, Hon. Kingsley Kuku, who oversees the programme, saying he has succeeded in dismissing the cynicism towards the programme. “When amnesty was granted, most Nigerians thought nothing good will come out of it. But now the story is different. Our youths are being trained all over the world in critical sectors. We are very impressed and my advice to these young Nigerians is to continue to be good ambassadors of our country,” Ogoriba said. The Deputy Senate Leader, Abdul Ningi, on his part, noted that aviation is a sector that requires excellence globally and the trainees must give their best to be able to compete. According to Senator Ningi, amnesty is not a Nigerian concept that is meant for a particular region. “Trainees must realise that they represent the whole country wherever they are. What we saw here gives us hope in Nigeria. The amnesty programme has exceeded our expectation and we are very proud of these young Nigerians. Besides, this is a practical demonstration that the fund allocated to the programme is not a waste; it is not money down the drain." All the legislators, including Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Hon. Moshood Mustapha and Hon. Ogbonna Nwuke, went on separate solo flight with the trainee pilots. Senator Okowa particularly expressed delight that he was flown by a female trainee from Delta State, Ngozi Idigbe.
 DANIEL ALABRAH

 HEAD, MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS

 JOHANNESBURG SEPTEMBER 16, 2012