From David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
One hundred and twenty militants under the Presidential Amnesty Programme, yesterday, graduated in various fields of motor manufacturing at Innoson Kiara Academy, Nnewi, Anambra State.
Addressing the graduands, the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, and Coordinator of Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brigadier General Paul . T. Boroh (rtd) told the graduands that they were expected to make a difference by utilizing skills acquired at the academy appropriately. He said that the training did not end at their graduation day but would continue to add value in their lives wherever they find themselves.
He commended the presidency for setting up the programme and its sustainability which he said had achieved a huge result since inception.
General Boron expressed gratitude to the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Innoson Group of Companies, Chief Innocent Chukwuma for partnering with the Federal Government to set up the academy where the amnesty beneficiaries received their training for nine months to qualify in various areas of motor manufacturing.
General Boroh made it clear to the graduands that they were now engineers in automobile manufacturing and should be proud of themselves as their status had changed for good.
In his statement, Chief Chukwuma said the graduands had become great men, promising that government would establish them further and offered automatic employment to any of them who desired to work in the Innoson Motor Manufacturing Company where the Kiara Academy is sited.
Chief Chukwuma said he was elated and surprised that the ex militants were very fast in learning the skills and were able to perform excellently well in the course of their programme.
“I’m surprised that you can learn this skill so fast to the extent that you can now produce a vehicle from scratch to the end. I’m proud of you and my company is ready to offer automatic employment to any of you who wants to work here,” Chief Chukwuma said.
Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State who was represented on the occasion by the Commissioner for Education, Professor Kate Omenugha said that the government had been watching with keen interest and did not have any report of violence by the ex militants during their programme. He commended them for exhibiting that level of maturity in the State. He charged them to go home and put what they had learnt in good use.
“We are proud of you for being law abiding. 120 delegates came here and120 are leaving with skills and no incident of violence,” the governor noted.
A spokesman of the graduands, Mr Moses Alfred expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for the programme, but pleaded on behalf of others that their empowerment would not be delayed.