February 24, (THEWILL) – The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) is to broker a strategic partnership with the National Power Training Institute (NAPTIN), to build the capacity of Niger Delta youths in power-related matters.

Under the plan, the PAP will complete, equip and hand over its vocational training centre at Bomadi, Delta State, to NAPTIN to run as a full-fledged training institution, to provide manpower for the power sub-sector.

Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Major-General Barry T. Ndiomu (rtd), in the company of senior management staff, stated this on Wednesday, when he paid a courtesy visit to the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN), Abuja.

General Ndiomu explained that the visit was a prelude to working out the modalities in setting up a committee to prepare a Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) in preparation for the early take-off of the partnership.

The Interim Administrator noted that the “various vocational training centres in Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Ondo and Rivers States are springboards to re-write the socio-economic narrative of the Niger Delta.”

He emphasised that the Presidential Amnesty Programme, being the driver of the initiative, needs to be properly guided in the processes of completion, provision of equipment and accreditation of the centre at Bomadi.

NAPTIN, General Ndiomu noted, “Has trained over 15,000 persons with training centres spread across the country, making it the institution of choice for the strategic partnership.”


Responding, the Director-General of NAPTIN, Ahmed Bolaji Nagode, commended the PAP Boss for the initiative and for being futuristic in his thinking, bearing in mind that the Presidential Amnesty Programme will not last forever.

Nagode stated that “this collaboration is in the interest of youths in the Niger Delta and NAPTIN is ready to collaborate with PAP in creating a teaching institute to build their capacity in diverse fields in the power sub-sector.”

He reassured the PAP team of NAPTIN’s readiness to kick start the partnership, following the constitution of a high-level committee, comprising officials of both agencies to articulate and harmonise the ideas to form an MOU for take-off.