WE 'LL RE-INTEGRATE SUCCESSFUL EX-MILITANTS – ALAIBE

The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, Mr Timi Alaibe, has assured the ex-militants who successfully concluded their training on non-violence in Obubra that the Federal Government will not fail in its efforts to reintegrate them into the society.

There are fears expressed by ex-militants' that if the Federal Government remained non- committal to the programme, they would go back to the creeks.

Speaking during an interractive session with some ex-militants in Obubra, the Special Adviser said government had engaged local and offshore training centres that would provide training opportunities in the areas of vocational skills and formal education, adding that a total of 150 courses have been identified.

He said government had designed a programme that ensured that selected training institutions incorporate entrepreneurial in the various courses to give the participants the option of self employment.According to him, '1,140 participants from the first batch have already been allocated to vocational training centres and will start to report to these centres from August 20, 2010.'

Alaibe said placement of others in the first batch is in process, adding that the second batch will also go through the same arrangement.

He commended FEHN  for collaborating very well in the area of impacting non-violence transformational training on the ex-militants.

Meanwhile, the third batch comprising 1000 ex-militants all from Bayelsa State have arrived the  Obubra camp.

The number has been increased from 670 in the second batch to 1000 in this third batch due to upgrading of the facilities at the camp and feedback from the camp operators.

The third batch of 1000 is expected to remain in camp for two weeks before passing out in preparation for the full acquisition training within and outside the country.