Dennis Otuaro, administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), has promised to involve more women in the Niger Delta peace process.
Otuaro spoke while addressing the Niger Delta women at a meeting in Warri, Delta state on Tuesday.
The meeting with the theme, ‘Niger Delta Women Empowerment: A Panacea for Peace, Stability and Economic Growth in The Region’, was part of an expanded Niger Delta stakeholders’ engagement by the PAP office with traditional rulers, opinion leaders, women groups and youth bodies, leaders and members of the various phases.
Otuaro said women deserved more inclusion because many female activists and youths participated in the Niger Delta struggle, suffering great personal losses.
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“Under my leadership, there will be more inclusion and consultation of women in our formal education scholarship and vocational training schemes, as well as peace-building initiatives,“ he said.
“Our women and mothers were the first casualties in the course of the struggle. They were the backbone of the struggle, and they will continue to be. Therefore, they deserve economic empowerment and support.
“Mr President desires that Niger Delta women should be economically empowered. He believes that when you empower women, the home front will be strong, the society will be better and there will be sustainable peace.
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“So far in the formal education aspect, the office deployed 780 women to universities abroad, and 2, 781 females in local universities. In vocational training, we have trained about 1,389 women while 1,208 women have benefited from post-training empowerment. We will continue to do more for our female folk.”
On their part, the women commended the PAP administrator for hosting to a maiden meeting and pledged that they will not take part in any protest designed to disrupt the prevailing peace in the country.
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