BY BRISIBE HARRIMAN
No fewer than 20 former militants drawn from Etim Ekpo and Ukanafun local government areas of Akwa Ibom State have received training on livelihood skills acquisition.
This brings the total number of former agitators in both Akwa Ibom and Cross River States who have undergone the training to 300.
The trade areas included, driving, poultry, wielding, ICT, auto mechanic, photography, hairdressing, furnishing and plumbing.
The training comes under the Small Arms and Light Weapons action funded by the European Union, Economic Communities of West African States, in conjunction with the state government.
At the graduation ceremony in Uyo, Executive Director, LITE-Africa, Joel Bisina, the implementing non-governmental organization, gave overview of the action, underscoring that it has helped non state actors to willingly turn in arms to the government and be reintegrated into the larger society.
According to him, with the active support of the state government caches of arms were destroyed in 2019 and advised the beneficiaries to imbibe the right attitude by putting the skills they have acquired to productive ventures.
“With the gracious support of the EU, ECOWAS, the next stage is the startup phase which we have put a process in place for funding. On your own, I want you not to sit down and fold your arms. I want you to start something to keep your skills alive,” he said.
Also speaking, representative of the state government, Captain Iniobong Ekong (rtd), lauded the donour agencies for the interest in the well-being, rehabilitation and ensuring alternative livelihood for them.
He said the state government takes the welfare and security of its people seriously, which explained why the state government extended the olive branch to them even as he thanked them ”for voluntarily surrendering their weapons and also offering to come under the umbrella of this training.”
Ekong, who is the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on security, equally implored the beneficiaries to be diligent and make good use of the skills learned to better their lives and also contribute to the socio-economic development of the society.
In a welcome address, Managing Partner, Consulting International Service Limited, Godfrey Ajayi Sunday, explained that the training was the third batch of the SALW action and that no fewer than 280 persons had earlier been trained in Songhai (Delta), Enugu and Abuja.
One of the beneficiaries, Ifiok Ukpong, commended the partners for bringing “ us from the bush to the city and we appreciate what you have done for us.”
