By: Vitalis Ugoh,Calabar
About 200 Bakassi repentant militants have departed the shores of the tate for a 2 – week Innovative And Integrated Agricultural Value Chain training in Nasarawa State under the sponsorship of Cross River state government.
The team left recently in a convoy of busses after passing through a rigorous profiling and sensitization by the State Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment Hon. Patrick Egbede and the State Security Adviser, Retired Major General Obongha Ubi.
Addressing the repentant militants before departure, the Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment Hon. Patrick Egbede said that the program was borne out of the magnanimity of the State Governor, Apostle Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu to spread the net of his ‘People First’ mantra to accommodate all categories of persons.
The Commissioner who disclosed that the set of trainees make up the second batch having accomplished the feat with the same number some months back with resounding results in both character and in learning.
He emphasized that the Governor’s interest is principally to lay a good foundation for aggressive agricultural revolution in the State that would boost the economy and increase employment particularly among the youths.
According to him, the training would be climaxed with empowerment by the State Government to ginger the graduates into productive ventures with attendant wealth creation and to attain the enviable status of employers of labour.
The Commissioner pointed out that the agricultural training program would be comprehensive covering every aspect of modern agricultural practice assuring that the beneficiaries would stand chances of becoming self reliance and may never wish to indulge in insurgency again.
He advised them to be ambassadors of the State by exhibiting good character and to adhere to the rules are regulations of the school.
According to him the present batch brings to 400 Cross Riverians benefiting from the training and empowerment.
In his address, the State Security Adviser, retired Major General Obongha Ubi urged the repentant Bakassi militants to reciprocate the State Governor’s gesture by strictly falling in line with the rules governing the program as the State has zero tolerance for any form of misconduct throughout and after the training.
The SSA assured that the monitoring team of the State Government would continually beam it’s search lights to identify any form of default.
While commending them for their courage to lay down their arms and embrace peace he advised those still tenaciously gripping their unpalatable stance against the State as efforts in futility as it would yield no good.
He urged them to to take a cue from their colleagues and enjoy the benefits of peace which is capable of transforming their lives for the better.
The trainees who were visibly excited commended the State Governor Apostle Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu for the generosity and promised to remain loyal, hardworking and committed to the training program.
They promised to bring glory to the State by all means.The trainees were all beautifully adorned with crested T- shirts and face caps to match.
