Warri — THE Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, PAP, Dr. Dennis Otuaro, took hands-on steps to redirect the Federal Government inventiveness, confronted by internal grumblings, as he intercommunicated with ex-agitators in Warri, Delta State, penultimate weekend.
There was excitement among the ex-agitators, who stormed the venue of the consultative and interactive meeting on Fostering, Consolidating, and Collaborating for the Peace, Security, Stability & Development of the Niger-Delta, as they took Otuaro as one of their own.
My vision --Otuaro
Otuaro, who unfolded his plan, assured that under his leadership, the amnesty programme would witness a tremendous change in the educational and vocational training of the ex-agitators.
Stating his idea was beyond paying a monthly stipend of N65,000 to the ex-agitators, he underscored the inescapability of correcting irregularities plaguing the current system to guarantee even distribution of the benefits of the programme and accessibility to all eligible participants.
His words: "I will ensure the programme goes beyond mere monthly payment of N65,000 stipend. Through the support of Mr. President, I will bring the programme up to the original goals and visions of the initiator, the late President Musa Yar'Adua."
"I am not just chairman of the amnesty programme and eye of Mr President, I am part of you. Your problems are mine. I am here to interface with you to know the various challenges you face in the programme so that the office will solve them all.
Tinubu'll do more for N-Delta
'The programme has impacted the youths of the Niger- Delta so much, and I will maintain the trend or do more than my predecessors. Many have been trained in vocational skills, obtained educational qualifications in various fields, and are gainfully employed. Mr President will do more to ensure peace and stability continue to reign in Niger-Delta.
"If we can sustain this peace and generate great ideas, I am pretty sure that we can present a compelling case to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to get the blueprint of the programme in line with his Renewed Hope Agenda"
He emphasized that President Tinubu was committed to the development of the Niger- Delta, adding that with his support, the Amnesty Program would ascend to new heights.
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He disclosed that the office would take time to revisit the leadership crisis dogging the beneficiaries, complaints of beneficiaries allegedly short-changed in the programme, and sort out issues of multiple BVN, which causes payment problems.
Retired Ijaw military generals almost crumbled PAP --'Captain' Anthony, defunct NDLF
An ex-agitator and spokesperson of the defunct Niger- Delta Liberation Force, NDLF, "Captain" Mark Anthony, in a statement, after the Warri meeting, said: "The original set goals and visions were derailed under former President Muhammadu Buhari, and nobody could speak lest he be tagged an enemy.
"Besides former administrators, Timi Alaibe and Kingsley Kuku, some retired Ijaw military generals appointed to run the amnesty programme almost ruined it. The amnesty programme was in the hands of usurpers and gold diggers, which made it suffer adversely. They nearly nailed the coffin on the programme.
"They harassed ex-generals with soldiers and some intimidated with arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, while they stopped the monthly benefits of some ex-agitators for no reason.
"The appointment of High Chief (Dr.) Dennis Otuaro by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the right decision by Mr. President. He will bring the programme back on track by correcting many irregularities, and rekindle the hopes and aspirations of ex-agitators, as well as Niger-Delta people to achieve a wave of enduring peace in the region.
"I want him to overhaul the office, sacking all the directors that connived with the retired Ijaw army generals to derail the programme, and appoint fresh hands to move the programme to the next level."
