By Funmilayo Adeyemi/Rachael Abujah
The Coordinator, Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh has urged states in the Niger Delta region to come with up youth inclusiveness programme.
Boroh made this call at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum held in Abuja on Sunday.
He said that the states should also ensure an enabling environment for the business of the youths to thrive.
According to him, the Federal Government’s Presidential Amnesty Programme would be more successful with the support of the states.
“Now in the area of sustainability of the presidential amnesty programme, it’s a programme that only the Federal Government has been responsible for managing since 2009.
“It is an extremely expensive programme but (it is responsible) for the peace which we are all enjoying now.
“ I want to discuss the need for the states to also be involved in ensuring that they too come up with their own programme that will be more encompassing that will have their youths very well managed.
“As an executive of a state, it is his (state governor) responsibility to ensure there is peace in the states (and to create) the platform for job opportunities for the people in the state and then to also ensure that people in the states go about their normal business.
“ So I think the states should also be more involved in ensuring that they establish the enabling environment to allow for peace, stability and development in the various states.’’
The coordinator also called on the Niger Delta people to continue to patiently support efforts by the Federal Government and other stakeholders towards addressing the challenges of the region.
“My experience working in the Presidential Amnesty Office reveals to me a lot of behavioural attitude of people in that region.
“That we are not as patient as we should be. Even Rome was not built in one day. It requires planning to get it right.
“ Children that are born definitely have some time before they try to stand up and when they stand up, they take their time to also walk.
“Even the days and the nights when you wake up in the morning you still need to find the day later there will be afternoon and then towards evening hours there will be night fall and then night.
“ We should actually plan properly before we execute our plans; we should be patient with the government to get it right. If you rush things at the end you will not get it right.’’ (NAN)
