Follow Us on Google
From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
A group of ex-militant leaders under the aegis of the Niger Delta Ex-Agitators Forum (NDEF) has lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for rescinding the decision to wind down the Amnesty Programme in the region.
The group, in a statement signed in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa state capital by Chief Edward Youdiowei, aka Gbonga, Patrick Tebegba and Ayabowei Godgift, expressed gratitude to the federal government for listening to various critical stakeholders across the region who were strongly opposed to the plan to wind down the PAP.
They also commended the duo of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj Gen. Mohammed Babagana Monguno (Rtd), and the Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Major General Barry Tariye Ndiomu (rtd.) for the renewed efforts at reviewing and applying practical reforms in the Amnesty.
According to the group, despite sponsored dissenting voices against the ongoing reforms in the programme, “ we commend Major Barry Tariye Ndiomu for his approach to sustaining the programme with new vigour and initiatives set out to recalibrate it into a more robust and efficient agency.”
The group while noting that under Ndiomu, a cooperative scheme with a seed fund of 500 million to various phases of the beneficiaries has been introduced, urged beneficiaries to sheathe their swords and stop the incessant agitations against Ndiomu which is capable of derailing the course of the programme.
“As the critical stakeholders in the amnesty programme, we call on all concerned Niger Deltans to sustain the peace in the region and help the new administration to reform, refocus and reposition the programme for optimum performance.
“We urge people of the Niger Delta region and beneficiaries to desist from frequent media attacks and blackmail on the image of the coordinator of the programme and channel their complaints to the appropriate quarters such as the Bayelsa state liaison office headed by Dame Esther Boroh who is available to receive all complaints.”
On the verification exercise and clearing of a backlog of unpaid stipends and scholarships to 1,714 ex-militants, the group implored Ndiomu to work with various leaders and stakeholders for a smooth and rancour-free exercise.
