National Telescope national telescope newspaper
The Ijaw National Leader, Pa Edwin Clark, Interim Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Gen. Barry Ndiomu (retd)’; Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, and many other prominent stakeholders from the region have encouraged President Bola Tinubu to give more attention to the Presidential Amnesty Programme, PAP, to sustain peace in the oil-rich Niger Delta.
The stakeholders including the Ijaw National Congress (INC), ex-agitators, leaders and representatives of ethnic nationalities made the resolution after critically reviewing PAP, its benefits and challenges, during a meeting at the Abuja residence of Chief Clark and promised to improve the gains of PAP to entrench peace in Niger Delta.
The leaders in a communique released in Port Harcourt, yesterday, after their deliberation maintained that since its inception, PAP had played a major role in bringing peace, security and stability to Niger Delta for the peaceful conduct of oil and gas activities for the benefits of the nation.
In the communique, they called on President Tinubu to give special attention to PAP, stating that the programme has remained a major booster to the critical oil and gas industry where the country earns most of its revenues.
The communique read: “We note that the programme has carried out various training and reintegration programmes and urge that this should be sustained with greater vigour and funding. “We advise that the Presidential Amnesty Programme continues to be inclusive to cover all properly accredited delegates and ensure that all ratified benefits are fully paid.
“We commend the Interim Administrator of the programme on the new initiatives to deepen socio-economic impact through the establishment of the PAP Cooperative Scheme and enjoins all beneficiaries to wholly embrace it.
“We call on the Federal Government to continue to improve the conditions for the implementation of the programme, as regards welfare of beneficiaries, due to the sharply changed economic circumstances, which are currently prevailing in the country.
“We urge the Interim Administrator to establish Liaison Offices in the concerned states for the purpose of ensuring effective implementation of activities connected with execution of this important programme.
“We agree on the need to establish an effective ‘single window liaison’ at the headquarters of the Presidential Amnesty Programme for the purpose of resolving issues, which are brought to the attention of the administrator.”
The stakeholders including the Ijaw National Congress (INC), ex-agitators, leaders and representatives of ethnic nationalities made the resolution after critically reviewing PAP, its benefits and challenges, during a meeting at the Abuja residence of Chief Clark and promised to improve the gains of PAP to entrench peace in Niger Delta.
The leaders in a communique released in Port Harcourt, yesterday, after their deliberation maintained that since its inception, PAP had played a major role in bringing peace, security and stability to Niger Delta for the peaceful conduct of oil and gas activities for the benefits of the nation.
In the communique, they called on President Tinubu to give special attention to PAP, stating that the programme has remained a major booster to the critical oil and gas industry where the country earns most of its revenues.
The communique read: “We note that the programme has carried out various training and reintegration programmes and urge that this should be sustained with greater vigour and funding. “We advise that the Presidential Amnesty Programme continues to be inclusive to cover all properly accredited delegates and ensure that all ratified benefits are fully paid.
“We commend the Interim Administrator of the programme on the new initiatives to deepen socio-economic impact through the establishment of the PAP Cooperative Scheme and enjoins all beneficiaries to wholly embrace it.
“We call on the Federal Government to continue to improve the conditions for the implementation of the programme, as regards welfare of beneficiaries, due to the sharply changed economic circumstances, which are currently prevailing in the country.
“We urge the Interim Administrator to establish Liaison Offices in the concerned states for the purpose of ensuring effective implementation of activities connected with execution of this important programme.
“We agree on the need to establish an effective ‘single window liaison’ at the headquarters of the Presidential Amnesty Programme for the purpose of resolving issues, which are brought to the attention of the administrator.”
They further called on youths of Niger Delta to continue to embrace peace and work with the government to ensure effective implementation of PAP and other related efforts aimed at addressing the socio-economic and developmental challenges of the region.
Speaking separately, Owoupele Eneoriekumoh, Omiundougha Richard, John Esuku, Ibena Rufus Salvation, Inko West Bright, Tam Odogwu, Aso Tambo, among others, pledged to drop their grievances and work with Ndiomu for the overall interest of the Niger Delta.
Others present at the meeting are Dr. Godknows Igali, Secretary of Board of Trustees (BOT), PANDEF; Dr. Alfred Mulade, National Secretary, PANDEF; Dr. Ken Robinson, National Publicity Secretary, PANDEF; Dr. Prince Anyanate Kio, Leader, National Representative Council (NRC) of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) Worldwide; Ebi Wodu, National Secretary, Ijaw National Congress (INC) Worldwide; Ms Annkio Briggs, Critical Stakeholder, among others.
(Vanguard)
