UnarguablY, the establishment of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) in 2009 by the Federal Government would be regarded as one of the lofty achievements of the short-lived President Umaru Yar’Adua administration. The intervention programme was tailored to address youth restiveness and environmental challenges of the oil-rich Niger Delta region by the late Nigerian leader.
Essentially, the PAP was designed to provide a framework for disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration of ex-militants in the region. Although he didn’t live long to witness the numerous benefits of the programme, its sustenance by successive administrations in the country has helped to ensure peace in the oil-producing region.
The intention of the programme was for a process of reintegrating ex-agitators into their communities, providing them with vocational training, education, and employment opportunities. It is not in doubt that the PAP has since inception achieved some laudable objectives. For instance, over 20,000 repentant militants have surrendered their arms and ammunition to the Federal Government, and from the poll, many have benefited from the programme’s vocational training and education initiatives. Generally, the Presidential Amnesty Programme has played a crucial role in promoting peace and stability in the Niger Delta region, and its impact continues to soar on a daily basis.
Of all those who have supervised the intervention agency, the leadership of Dr. Dennis Otuaro stands out in all ramifications. With one year in the saddle, his leadership of PAP has been most remarkable in its breakthroughs and significant achievements. Without mincing words, Otuaro’s administration has taken bold steps to make tremendous progress in its mandate to reintegrate ex-agitators into society, through various schemes. Instructively, these achievements aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Otuaro has amply demonstrated leadership on peace-building, security, human capital development, and economic empowerment. At the same time, PAP’s interventions have significantly contributed to the stability and sustainable growth of the Niger Delta region.
Apart from training pilots, PAP has been involved in training Maritime Cadets both locally and overseas. Two cadet pilots had completed their instrument rating course on AW139 at Henley Air Flight Training in Johannesburg, South Africa on 10th April 2024. Due to their outstanding performance at the instrument rating course, they were further deployed for their Type Rating Course on 29th May 2024 at Caverton Helicopters Limited in Lagos State.
Similarly, 98 Maritime Cadets whose training programmes were truncated in Poland, Vietnam and Sweden between 2011 and 2014 due to frequent change of leadership at PAP were sent to Joemarine Institute of Nautical Studies and Research, in Delta State, to complete their programmes by Otuaro administration. They were also deployed for a Bootcamp/Refresher Course on October 30, 2024 to determine the cadets who will go to mainstream maritime training. The bootcamp lasted for a month and was concluded on November 26, 2024.
In the area of formal education, PAP has granted scholarship to 2,200 to study onshore and offshore for the 2024/2025 academic session. PAP has also partnered with the Niger Delta River Basin Development Authority to boost massive agricultural activities and tackle food insecurity in the region. Under the leadership of Otuaro, PAP has promised to involve more women in the Niger Delta peace process, ensuring the inclusion of more Niger Delta women in the implementation of the PAP mandate.
PAP has embarked on series of stakeholders’ engagement fora aimed at strengthening relationships with key stakeholders, traditional leaders, women leaders, and other community representatives. It is commendable that the engagement achieved the targeted objectives and enhanced collaboration, and sustained peace and development in the Niger Delta.
Good enough, the 2024 PAP Stakeholders Engagement Summit specifically reinforced the importance of dialogue, collaboration, and inclusivity in sustaining peace in the Niger Delta. The event provided an opportunity to address key concerns and strengthen relationships between the PAP and its stakeholders. PAP has engaged in strategic partnerships with key government agencies to promote peace, security, and economic development in its mandate areas. These partnerships will help in the war against crude oil theft, workforce integration, counter-terrorism, and diplomatic collaborations.
PAP’s collaboration with the Defence Headquarters Joint Monitoring Team, led by Major General Jamil Jimoh, has improved Nigeria’s oil production levels, which recently hit 1.8 million barrels per day. With synergy on intelligence sharing, security reinforcement, and community engagement, PAP and the military have curbed illegal oil activities while ensuring sustainable peace in the region.
To ensure a better future for the graduates of the various development initiatives of PAP and to strengthen the synergy with the nation’s civil service, Otuaro has held a crucial meeting with the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoCSF), Dame Didi Walson-Jack. The meeting was primarily conceptualised to integrate PAP beneficiaries into the national workforce.
We commend Otuaro for his laudable achievements so far in the intervention agency. He should do more and continue to do his best. We call for more support to the intervention agency from the Federal Government, relevant agencies and other stakeholders. For enduring peace in the Niger Delta region, the PAP must be sustained.