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Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Newly appointed Interim Administrator for the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Milland Dixon, has taken over from the caretaker committee, with a pledge not to dwell in the past, but pick out relevant lessons from events of the past to enable him forge ahead with PAP’s mandate.
A statement in Abuja, yesterday by PAP Director of Information, Florence Dibiaezue-Eke, indicated that Dixon made the pledge at his maiden meeting with the management and staff of PAP shortly after taking over from the caretaker committee, led by Aminu Lawal.
Dixon assured the staff, delegates, stakeholders and the public that he will work through consensus and facts to collaborate and cooperate with agencies that are complementary to PAP.
He also said he intends to clear the ‘cobwebs’ and other obstructions that had slow down the success of the programme, so that people will know the difference between the amnesty programme and what he called the ‘presidential amnesty package’.
“PAP entails disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration, but amnesty package is a basket of government’s avowed plans to address and ameliorate the grievances that led to the agitations and subsequent armed struggle in the Niger Delta.”
He admitted that, though, lots of fictions and misconceptions might have been put out in the public domain about the amnesty programme but the new leadership is determined and committed to change the negative narratives.
He also promised his administration will focused on service delivery, hence the primary purpose shall be to focus on reintegration of the former agitators and seek the input of relevant stakeholders in the region to realise the objectives for which the programme was set up.
Dixon thanked the caretaker committee for successfully holding forth, assuring the management and staff of PAP of his readiness to work with everybody, reminding them that accountability is a ‘two-way street’.
He thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for finding him worthy for the appointment and assured all that he intends to work towards justifying Mr. President’s confidence reposed in him.
