NOA, Amnesty office partner to promote agri-business in Niger Delta

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) and Amnesty Office in the Presidency have entered into a strategic partnership to promote agriculture and allied businesses among former militants in the Niger Delta region.

The NOA Director General, Dr Garba Abari, and the Special Adviser to the President on Amnesty, retired Brig.–Gen. Paul Boroh, formalised the partnership at a meeting in Abuja.

Abari said that the partnership was aimed at developing the new Federal Government policy of strategic engagement with the leaders and people of the region.

He said that the project would result in increased federal revenue as well as ensure peace in the region.

He encouraged the Amnesty Office to sustain its work in the region in order to achieve the Federal Government’s developmental goals in the region.

According to him, the Amnesty Office must ensure the inclusion of youths in the region’s development plan for sustainability.

“I encourage you to ensure the social inclusion of youths in the region because they have the advantage of age, strength, education and population.

“About 67 per cent of our population is below the age of 35 years and every effort must be made to factor the youth into the national development policy.

“NOA is willing to partner in the task of creating awareness on agriculture in the region because it has began a programme of promoting the “Eat What You Grow and Grow What You Eat” campaign,’’ Abari said.

Earlier, Boroh said the Amnesty Office was focusing attention on the agricultural potential of the region.

According to him, the partnership with NOA is designed to make agriculture an occupation of choice for the people of the area.

He said that the Amnesty office would initiate other partnerships with other stakeholders, including the Ministry of Environment, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and NNPC, among others.