The Mayor of Urhoboland, Eshanakpe Israel, a.k.a Akpodoro has again called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to appoint a new coordinator for the Presidential Amnesty Programme, (PAP).
Speaking at a meeting of stakeholders in Abuja on Tuesday, Akpodoro said those who served during the former administration of Muhammadu Buhari should be replaced by the present administration, stressing that Tinubu should, as a matter of urgency, appointment a new coordinator that would lead the amnesty programme into the Renewed Hope Agenda of present administration.
He said ethnicity has become the order of the day, thereby defeating the main purpose the programme was established.
He said although, those put in charge to run the affairs of the programme have put in their best, but their best is not good enough.
“If the President can sack service chiefs, the CBN governor, what is he waiting for to fire those whose allegiances are to those who mismanaged the country.
He should do the needful by showing these people the exit door,” he said.
The Gbaregolor Ughelli South Local Government Area-born Mayor said PAP is now a goldmine for some, and a huge disappointment to the beneficiaries of the programme particularly those from other ethnic areas.
He noted that the current leadership of the programme has impoverished the supposed ex-militants and youths, leaving them worse than before, as he lamented the lopsided payment of stipends, scholarship to beneficiaries, non training of youths and persons who are supposed to be trained in accordance to the dictates of the act establishing the programme.
“Appointing one particular tribe has injured the spirit and soul of the Amnesty Programme and now is when to right the wrong. The President must act now.
Equity and fairplay must be the rule in the administration and management of the programme.”
He described Kingsley Kuku, the pioneer coordinator of the programme, as a true Nigerian in every facet of his leadership. “He was a regional leader and very loyal to every group from the Niger Delta region.
“He did his best and ex-militants till date still miss him in that office, while others came into the office with the mindset of ethnic supremacy to mismanage the goodwill bequeathed on the programme by the founders of that regional development agency.”