Nigeria: Youth urged to drop gun for ICT

  1. Posted on Wednesday 15 April 2009 - 11:54
    Emeruwa
    Image of Emeruwa
    Victor Emeruwa, AfricaNews reporter in Lagos, Nigeria
    Governors from the Niger delta region in Nigeria are creating more constructive ways of engaging the growing number of restive youth in the oil rich region. One of the ways is a scholarship program for a full time training in Information Communication Technology (ICT) in an Indian University.
    niger delta village
    About 200 beneficiaries left Nigeria for India last week for the one year sponsored program. “The program is one of the off-the –street campaigns of the government of that country. We are concerned about the spate of kidnapping and the high level of unemployment, so we are channeling the creativity of this active young people to a more creative venture that will empower them and make them independent” said Tiemi Sylver, governor of Nigeria’s Bayelsa State.

    The governor said the scheme will grant scholarship to 1,000 youths to be trained annually in ICT in India.

    President Musa Yar’dua also offered to grant amnesty to restive youths in the delta who have constituted a militia group in the oil region. “We support the call for amnesty for any one or group that is repentant and is willing to drop arms and embrace dialogue” said Emmanuel Uduagha, governor of Delta State.

    The governor argues that a lot of so called militants are hiding in the creeks because they are scared to confront the outside world.

    The leadership of MEND, a popular militia group has rejected the Presidents offer of amnesty on grounds that it requires a blue print of the Presidents’ plan for the “sovereign survival of the Niger delta people” a document signed by MEND, noted.

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