No fewer than 50 former militants who surrendered their weapons to Akwa Ibom State government in Etim Ekpo and Ukanafun local government areas have received starter packs as a scheme empowerment from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and European Union (EU) as part of measures to reintegrate them into the society.
The empowerment programme was one of the efforts to ensure security of lives and peace in Nigeria through the implementation of the ECOWAS-EU Small Arms and Light Weapons disarmament programme.
Presenting the starter packs to the former militants in Uyo, the Executive Director of LITE Africa; a non-governmental organisation – Leadership Initiative Transformation and Empowerment (LITE), Joel Bisina, with National Centre for Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons disclosed that the beneficiaries were 50 out 150 former militants from Etim Ekpo and Ukanafun council areas who laid down their weapons for peace in Akwa Ibom Communities.
“We are empowering 50 beneficiaries per state today bringing the total to 100. Those benefiting today are persons trained in Barbing, Fashion and Design, Make-Up, ICT, Graphic Design and many more.
Bisina expressed appreciation to the European Union (EU) through ECOWAS for supporting the ECOWAS Peace and Security Stabilisation (PASS), the Nigeria component of the Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) Action.
He explained that the empowerment was aimed at preventing further proliferation of illicit trafficking and flow of SALW in Nigeria and promoting peace and security in our borders.
According to him, “The SALW Action is designed to sensitise border communities, strengthen the capacity of national security institutions personnel on border and arm stockpile management, armoury security and arms destruction as well as provision of alternative livelihoods in the Action states of Akwa-Ibom, Cross-Rivers, Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states.
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He expressed hope that beneficiaries will make a decent living through diligence and prudent use and management of their various business concerns urging them to desist from the temptation of selling off business start-up items because the cash you will realise from such sales will not take you too far.
The starter packs include Laptop Computers with Multipurpose Printers, Generators, Welding Machines, Barbering Equipment, Equipment for Electrical Installation, Sewing Machines and other facilities to first 50 set of Etim Ekpo/Ukanafun council areas repentant Militants who were trained to acquire skills such as welding, electrical installation, tailoring, computer operation and others.
Addressing the beneficiaries, Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel advised the former militants to use the equipment to better their lives.
The governor, who was represented by Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem commended ECOWAS and EU for their contribution for peace in volatile areas in the state adding that effort has brought peace to the areas.
“We would like to commend EU-ECOWAS for extending a hand of fellowship to the state to help these young men and women get rehabilitated and re-integrated into the larger society.
“It is a known fact that an idle mind is the devil’s workshop while a hungry man is an angry man.”
What EU-ECOWAS has done is by first training them to acquire the right skills and also mentor them to learn how to fish than giving them just fish.
The governor expressed happiness that the sponsors did not just teach the requisite skills and send them away but rather gave them tools to fetch for their daily needs.
Emmanuel urged them to put good use of the pieces of the equipment stressing that they will no doubt succeed if they work hard, and urged them to think big even though they were starting small in their various skills.
“You are like the mustard seed that grows into a big tree, I wish to see in a not long time, the consultants and the ECOWAS-EU returning to celebrate your success stories.”
“The only way to express gratitude to ECOWAS-EU is to put good use of these equipment to earn a decent living,” he said
