AMNESTY OFFICE TO PARTNER THE INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF PLANTATION MANAGEMENT IN MALAYSIA ON JOB CREATION

AMNESTY OFFICE TO PARTNER THE INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF PLANTATION MANAGEMENT IN MALAYSIA ON JOB CREATION

The Special Adviser to President Mahammadu Buhari on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig-Gen. Paul Boroh (Rtd) has expressed his interest in collaborating with a Malaysian premier agricultural research institute, The International Institute of Plantation Management (IIPM) in Malaysia, which serves as a professional body, representing all sectors of the plantation industry in the Asian country.

 Gen. Boroh who was represented by head of the Presidential Amnesty Vocational Training Centre Kaiama, Bayelsa state, Mr. Jude Gbaboyor at a roundtable talk with the top management of the institute in Malaysia recently, commended the institute’s management for its pioneering role in plantation science, technology and management, which has transformed their economy through agriculture in Asia, making Malaysia the number one in oil palm plantation and processing.

The Amnesty Coordinator said the Presidential Amnesty Office would be glad to tap into the wealth of experience of the institute’s management to enrich the on-going Presidential Amnesty Agricultural Empowerment Scheme for ex-agitators in the Niger Delta region, saying that such knowledge will equip amnesty delegates on the science of plantation management, which would further add value to the beneficiaries of the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

He wants the institute to deploy its experts to Nigeria to establish ( mixed cluster farms) and conduct six months practical training courses on oil palm plantation technology and management, pineapple, rubber and coconut palm, among other relevant crops, with a view to creating thousands of jobs for the teaming unemployed youths in the Niger Delta, particularly the ex-agitator who have been trained in different aspects of agriculture, ranging from aquaculture, poultry, rice, maize, cassava and plantain, among others.

According to the Amnesty boss, the Niger Delta region needs to establish and cultivate plantations to create massive jobs, hence, he would want to go into a strategic partnership with the Malaysian institute to train beneficiaries of the Presidential Amnesty programme in Nigeria, using the existing rubber plantation Farm in the Niger Delta Region, this is to also enable the trained ex-agitators establish massive plantations across the Niger Delta region in line with President Buhari’s food security agenda for the country.

In Response, the executive director of International Institute of Plantation Management (IIPM), Halid Hasbullah Boestamam, who took the representative of the presidential aide round some plantations on a facility tour in Malaysia, informed the visiting official from the Amnesty Office that the institute which is a first class training institute in Malaysia, was founded in May 2006 as an offshoot of the Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Malaysia.

The executive director, said the purpose of its establishment, was to promote knowledge of the science of planting management and to provide a source of authoritative views for communication to government, industry and the community, saying that the institute offers professional qualifying examination in plantation management, leading to the award of an executive diploma in plantation technology and management, certificate in planting Industry Management and Advanced Field Conductor Development. 

He noted that the course components of the institute include lectures, tutorials, workshops, (Practicals) field visits, case studies, report writing and presentations, with each programme tailored towards the real needs, using the tools of truly professional visiting agents/planting advisors for oil palm and rubber, among others.

The executive director further explained that, “Upon completion, the graduates will be entitled to use the post-nominal title “Certified Planter (CP)”, which would enhance their professional status, credibility and their competency, which is measured at par with Level 7 of the Malaysian Occupational Skills Qualification Framework (MOSQF), being an equivalent to a Post Graduate Certificate or Diploma, or a Master’s Degree. 

The institute of plantation, he said has been in existence for more than ten (10) years as a credible professional body, representing all sectors of the plantation industry, pointing out that IIPM has been intimately involved in the plantation industries

in the areas of human resource development, training and consultancies, providing professional services to more than 4,000 beneficiaries from various organizations across the globe.

Facts Compiled/Writen Gbaboyor Jude & Piriye Kiyaramo

For Head, Media and Communications Department 

Presidential Amnesty Office, Abuja