May 25, 2022

An indigenous firm, Teecentinel Group, says it will begin the training of some beneficiaries of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) at the Cassava Processing Factory in Ebedebiri, Bayelsa on June 12.

Project Management Consultant and Spokesperson, Mr. Adebowale Ayoade, in a statement on Tuesday, said the beneficiaries would be trained in batches for eight months.

He said the ex-agitators would receive theoretical and practical training on cassava cultivation and farm management at the 60-metric ton daily capacity cassava processing facility.

He explained that the training would be in line with the novel Train, Employ and Mentor (TEM) scheme introduced by the Interim Administrator of PAP, Col. Milland Dixon Dikio (Rtd).

Ayoade said that Dikio would be on ground to inaugurate the training on June 12 at the site of the factory, noting that the effort was in collaboration with the Bayelsa State Government and PAP.

“We are commencing the training of delegates of the Presidential Amnesty Programme in June. The plant was designed to process starch from cassava. So we will do both theoretical and practical training for them to be well equipped.

“This training will follow strictly the Train, Employ and Mentor scheme of the PAP under Milland Dixon Dikio.

“We will run it in batches and at the end the beneficiaries will receive the required skill in the processing of cassava to starch.”

He said the trainees would be employed as outgrowers of cassava to feed the factory’s operations.

While expressing optimism about the prospect of the training, especially to promote food security, Ayoade thanked the Dikio-led PAP for believing in the indegenous company to undertake the task.

He said Dikio had an uncommon commitment to change the narrative of the Niger Delta, describing the PAP boss as one of the best things that happened to the Niger Delta.

Ayoade said that having executed many jobs with federal and state agencies of government, she was impressed with the private sector mentality Dikio deployed in running the PAP.

He thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for appointing Dikio into that office, adding that the former military chief had not disappointed in the discharge of his duties.

“Effortlessly Dikio has made a huge impact since he came on board. Unlike in the past, PAP is now a reformed agency that is run as a private sector entity.

“This of course, is because of the man’s extraordinary and deliberate intention to do the right thing.

“What we will achieve with this training, which is the vision of Dikio, is massive food security in the region and beyond.

“I am so grateful to President Muhammadu Buhari for the wise choice of Dikio.” (NAN)