From Okwe Obi, Abuja
The Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide has condemned corruption allegations leveled against the Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) Maj. Gen. Barry Ndiomu (rtd.).
The youths described the attacks as unwarranted, wicked and a calculated attempt to truncate the scheme of the federal government.
IYCA National Spokesman, Ebilade Ekerefe, in a statement accused those he called ‘disgruntled elements’ that were stopped from perpetuating fraud in the Presidential Amnesty Office, of orchestrating the attacks and spreading falsehood against Ndiomu.
Ekerefe assured the people of the Niger Delta region of their unwavering support for Ndiomu, stressing that since assumption of office, he has embarked on laudable programmes aimed at uplifting the beneficiaries of the scheme.
According to him, the call on President Bola Tinubu to halt the allocated N5.6 billion which was approved by the out-gone Buhari administration to the immediate past Interim administrator over alleged fraudulent contracts, with payments already uploaded to the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) platform, is an ill-intension and desperate attempt to truncate the programme which has benefitted the youths from the region.
He warned “ghost stakeholders” and “Anti-Niger Delta elements and their faceless sponsors” behind the rising media attacks on the Presidential Amnesty Office and its boss” to stop campaign of calumny and support the ongoing policies of the Amnesty Office under Ndiomu.
While it commended the Presidential Amnesty Office over the recently launched N1.5 billion Cooperative Fund in the Amnesty Programme Cooperative Society Limited (PAPCOSOL) for beneficiaries, he urged the Amnesty Office to sustain the initiative as it would strategically and directly empower ex-agitators in the Niger Delta.
He further explained that the launch of the scheme is a noble initiative that should be celebrated rather than being condemned by faceless groups who do not mean well for the region.
He urged President Bola Tinubu and Nigerians to disregard claims of misappropriation at the Presidential Amnesty Office and rather expedite action on the confirmation of Ndiomu as substantive administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme.