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The Presidential Amnesty Program (PAP) has commenced the sensitization of ex-agitators on how to obtain a single digit interest loans from the recently launched cooperative scheme.
Rtd Major General Barry Ndiomu the Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Program,said the sensitization was to guide prospective beneficiaries on how to have access on the different categories of the loans.
Speaking through Mr Thomas Peretu,The Special Assistant on Special duties, the PAP helmsman assured that all those who meet the criteria of the loan will not be denied,adding that the process will be very transparent.
Rtd Major General Ndiomu, used the occasion to explained that the corperative scheme was part of effort of the PAP to raise the economy prospect of the ex-agitators and people of the Niger Delta region.
“The idea of the scheme is to make multi millionaires of the ex-agitators and so when the interim Administrator assumed office last year his dream was to see how he will empower ex-agitators but today he says there must be a change and therefore he has decided to empower only ex-agitators.
In his presentation Mr Zigha Ayibakuro,the lead consultant of the Presidential Amnesty Program beneficiaries corperative scheme limited ,PAP said the exercise it’s aimed at creating the needed awareness for ex-agitators to know the main trust of the corperative align with the expectations and work together towards achieving the said objectives
He noted that overtime many willing entrepreneurs failed to kick start their business because of the lack of the needed information on how to get financial and other support
His word”The essence is for ex-agitators to be able to start something productively,we are able to give them business skills,build capacity and to provide access to funding for them so thay can do something reasonable, it’s a 5% per anum loan and a tenure of 3 years,moratorium of about 1 year for Agric business,so it’s a work in progress.
While commending Rtd Major General Barry Ndiomu for the initiative, he stressed that the loan is for every ex-agitators with viable products of service and it covers individuals and clusters that are under the PAP.
Mr Ayibakuro listed the process to include online registration to filling in their bio data like BVN, National Identify,PAP ID code,skill history prove, business history prove to determine if they have engaged in any trade or productive activities.
Mr Ayibakuro, also informed that ex-agitators without any business name will be assisted to register their businesses while the beneficiaries of the loan will also be guided on how to grow their businesses and mitigate risk.
Mr Tonye Bobo,The National Chairman of third phase Presidential Amnesty Program who lauded Rtd Major General Barry Ndiomu for the steps taking so far at sanitizing the program,called on those agitating to be calm saying the whole process is to better their lives .
The General enumerated some of the challenges that as confronted the ex-agitators in the past which the present administrator is trying to resolve as non payment of stipends to potential delegates of the program,non reliance of ex-agitators,short changing of delegates and others which he believes soon it will be a thing of the past.
While appraising the Rtd Major General Barry Ndiomu’s administration,General Tonye Bobo said within the shortest period of Ndiomu stay in office a lot has been done compare to the former administration,adding that the only alternative in meeting up with the present economic challenges was the launching of the corperative scheme aimed at alleviating the plight of ex-agitators.
Tonye Bobo,who is also the Director Of Mobilization Strategic Communications Committee,criticize the manner at which PAP Administrators are changed,called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to give Rtd Major General Barry Ndiomu the chance to ensure that the over 30,000 ex-agitators are re-integrated into the society.
