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From Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar
Some ex Niger Delta Agitators have welcomed reforms introduced to the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) by the interim administrator of the programme Maj Gen Barry Tariye Ndiomu (Rtd).
The former Agitators expressed their position during an interactive session with the delegates organized by the PAP in Calabar.
The interactive session was organized by the PAP to get a feedback from the delegates and beneficiaries of the PAP on the ongoing reforms in the programme.
In his position, Orineme Hart, a delegate said the programme has not been running properly for some time now but with the reforms in place things are getting better.
He said within the past year, over 80% of the issues in the programme has been. addressed and this is reflecting in the relative peace in the region.
“The Amnesty programme has not been working for we the leaders but recently with our brother there we are beginning to feel the impact of the Amnesty
“Almost 80% of the issues in the office has been handled by the current interim administrator and he has been harmonizing the leaders, talking with them and doing the necessary things that should be done”, he said.
Also speaking, Olutu Wanemi, the Chairman of PAP phase two said none of the PAP administrators thought of empowering the entire 30,000 beneficiaries of the programme before the coming of the present interim administrator.
He said thr cooperative initiative introduced by the interim administrator is a welcome development.
“None of the leaders had earlier thought of empowering the entire 30,000 beneficiaries but we were shocked when the interim administrator came on board and introduced the cooperative scheme to accommodate everybody.
“This is a welcome development for we the beneficiaries and the right thing to be done and I appeal that he should be reappointed by the president”, he said.
On his part, Ibena Rufus, the national spokesman of Phase two Leaders forum said the programme started with disarmament and demobilization which was successful but ran into issues with reintegration.
He said no administrator has been able to tackle that but the current administrator has demonstrated capacity to tackle that.
Earlier, Major Marshall Akpor, the Agency Liaison Officer who represented the interim administrator said the essence of the programme is to interact and discuss with the delegates with the view of getting their feedback in order to improve the programme.
He disclosed that the presidential amnesty cooperative society limited is aimed at giving an alternative livelihood to the ex agitators.
He also stressed that the platform created for scholarship scheme of the PAP is aimed at ensuring that only real delegates benefit from PAP’s scholarships.
