Published On: Fri, Nov 15th, 2013

Sambo Expresses Shock over Non-Payment of N64m Training Fees for Ex-Niger-Delta Militants

Ex-Niger Delta Militants


LAGOS NOVEMBER 15TH (URHOBOTODAY)-Vice President Namadi Sambo on Thursday expressed shock over the alleged non payment of N64,000,000 million (about $400,000) training fees of about 90 former Niger Delta militants in two Sri Lanka institutions by the amnesty office.
Addressing a cross section of Nigerians, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Thursday night, Mr. Sambo said he will relate the information to President Goodluck Jonathan to enable the government get to the root of the problem.

The VP who was reacting to a plea by one of the coordinators of the amnesty training programme, in Sri Lanka, Mr. Ayo Ajayi, for the Nigeria’s leader to come up with the $400,000 training fees, told the complainant that he will do what is necessary for the issue to be resolved without any further delay.
According to him “It is very disturbing to me and I assure you that as soon as I return we are going to contact the people involved to make the payment immediately”.
Mr. Ajayi while recounting his ordeal in the hands of the Sri Lanka police noted that he was suffering simply for doing a patriot assignment for fellow Nigerians.
He told FrontiersNews at the side line of the meeting that he agreed to stand as surety for the 90 students who were trained at the Colombo International Nautical and Engineering College and the Boat Building Technology Institute, Negambo, when the institutions threatened to withhold the certificate of the ex-militants after their six months training programme.
Mr. Ajayi said when the students graduated in February 2013, he and another Nigeria pleaded with the two institutions to release their certificate promising to facilitate the payment within a specified period of time but that when they were unable to come up with the money within the time agreed, they were arrested and put in jail for 32 days.
He lamented however that when the amnesty office failed to remit the $400,000 to the training institutions, “we were arrested and detained for 32 days by the police and the Nigerian ambassador to Sri Lanka had to intervened in the matter before we were released by the police”.
The Nigerian who disclosed that his life was in danger following threats by the police to arraign him on November 19, passionately appealed to Mr. Sambo to speak to the amnesty office and ministry of foreign affairs to settle the debts before they are slammed into jail.
Meanwhile, Mr. Sambo told the Nigerians who hosted him to a reception at the Sri Lanka Foundation (SLF) that Mr. Jonathan and himself were doing a lot to transform Nigeria.
He spoke of the government’s tremedous efforts in transforming the power sector, road construction and rail transportation.
Mr. Sambo said “I want to inform you that the administration of President Jonathan has been able to stabilise our democracy” with emphasis on one man one vote philosophy.
He also spoke on the economic transformation of the government with emphasis on Vision 20:20:20 noting that the Nigerian government was doing evertyhing possible to address the issues militating against economic growth in Nigeria.
While expressing Mr. Jonathan’s warm greetings to the Nigerians in the Diaspora, Mr. Sambo reassured them of the determination of the government to deliver the dividends of democracy to the Nigerian people.
Source: Frontiers

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