By PAULINE ONYIBE

The Interim Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Col. Milland Dixon Diko (rtd), has called on ex-agitators to develop business proposals and ideas capable of transforming them into successful entrepreneurs instead of depending on monthly stipends.

He said the programme has discontinued award of contract to ex-militants but it is adopting “the Igbo apprenticeship system so that at the end of the day it’s a win-win for everybody,” along with organising business seminars to train and equip them to do good and legitimate businesses.

A statement signed on Saturday by Dikio’s Special Adviser, Media, Nneotaobase Egbe, said the amnesty boss spoke in Uyo when he met with some leaders of first phase amnesty programme drawn from Akwa Ibom, Cross River led by Nico Martins Sintei Promising that PAP would support business proposals and ideas from ex-agitators to aid their transition into entrepreneurs, he encouraged them to bring their ideas and business proposals foreword to get the programme’s support for them to become successful entrepreneurs.

“PAP will pay for the training but with the understanding that our people will be employed and mentored afterwards. We are simply adopting the Igbo apprenticeship system so that at the end of the day it’s a win-win for everybody.” He appealed to ex-agitators to form cooperatives to enable them take advantage of the business opportunities in the region.

“There are endless opportunities beyond the payment of stipends. As a people, we need to take advantage of the opportunities around us to transform our region. For instance, we can exploit our huge maritime potentials to benefit the region.” (Sunday Telegraph)

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