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•Ask Tinubu to accord special attention to agency
From Tony John, Port Harcourt
Critical stakeholders have vowed to improve the gains of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) to entrench peace in the Niger Delta.
Pa. Edwin Clark, frontline Niger Delta leader, the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), the Ijaw National Congress (INC), former agitators, leaders and representatives of ethnic nationalities, the Interim Administrator of PAP, Gen. Barry Ndiomu (retd) and others made the resolution after reviewing PAP, its benefits and challenges during a meeting at the Abuja residence of Pa Clark.
In a communique issued after their deliberation, the leaders reaffirmed that the programme instituted by the late former president, Umaru Yar’Adua, in 2009, had played a major role in bringing peace, security and stability to the Niger Delta, which at the time was challenged by an upsurge of militant activities.
The stakeholders in the communique, called on the administration of President Bola Tinubu to accord special attention to PAP, which they said had remained a major booster to the critical oil and gas industry where the country earns most of its revenue.
While commending the PAP interim administrator on the new initiatives to deepen socio-economic impact through the establishment of the PAP Cooperative Scheme, they enjoined all beneficiaries to “wholly embrace it.”
They noted that PAP had carried out various training and reintegration initiatives and urged that the Programme be sustained with “greater vigour and funding.”
The stakeholders also affirmed that PAP interim administrator had demonstrated high administrative capacity and competence since assuming office in October 2022.
They urged youths of the Niger Delta to sustainably embrace peace and work with the government to ensure effective implementation of the PAP initiatives aimed at addressing the socio-economic and developmental challenges of the region.
They called on the Federal Government to accord special attention to the programme, which according to them, had remained a major booster to the critical oil and gas industry, from which the country earned most of its revenue.
Calls were also made for PAP to “be inclusive, to cover all properly accredited delegates, and improve conditions for its implementation, as regards welfare of beneficiaries” in line with the economic realities of the country.
They further appealed to Ndiomu to establish liaison offices in the Niger Delta states to ensure effective implementation of PAP initiatives.
They also called for the establishment of a “single window liaison” at the PAP headquarters “for the purpose of resolving issues brought before the PAP Management.”
Some aggrieved former agitators, who attended the meeting openly apologised to Ndiomu for the series of media attacks against him and the PAP.
They admitted that their incessant attacks on Ndiomu was borne out of frustration because of his reforms, which badly affected them, especially the stoppage of their monthly stipends.
