By Emma Amaize

WARRI-DELTA State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, has introduced his version of “amnesty programme” for non-militants and former militants as well as indigenes of oil communities.  

The programme is being executed by the Delta State Economic Reintegration Programme, DESERP/MCAF, under the aegis of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, to, according to Chief Executive Officer of DESERP/MCAF, Ms Nnena Ahukannah, “directly mobilise the people for productive economic activities and facilitate human capital development in a way that would help promote peace and reduce conflict among the people.”
 
Ms Ahukannah, who spoke to Vanguard, explained that “the framework for DESERP was set up by the Delta State Government in April 2010 to build and sustain a better quality life for indigenes with particular reference to the five nationalities of the oil producing areas. The objectives of the programme are in line with the three-point agenda of the administration of Dr. Uduaghan as well as the Millennium Development Goal of global partnership for development.”

According to her, the programme was designed to help Deltans become engaged in productive economic activities, create new job opportunities, provide educational assistance and access to basic education, access to financial products; and provide access to business development services”