Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja
Elder statesman and South South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark and other critical stakeholders in the Niger Delta region have resolved that the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has brought relative and sustainable peace for oil and gas activities to thrive, in the overall wellbeing of the national economy.
The resolution was reached in a communique issued at the end of a meeting of leaders of the Niger Delta Region with Phases 1, 2 and 3 of PAP beneficiaries in Abuja recently.
The resolutions were jointly adopted by Clark, PAP Interim Administrator, Major General Barry Ndiomu (rtd); representatives of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) and the Ijaw National Congress (INC); ex-agitators and other prominent stakeholders of the Niger Delta region.
They reaffirmed that the Amnesty Programme, which was instituted by late ex-President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in 2009, has played a major role in bringing peace, security and stability to the Niger Delta region, which at the time was challenged by an upsurge of militant activities.
The meeting provided a platform for the stakeholders to critically review the workings of the PAP since its inception.
The participants, especially the representatives of beneficiaries, also shared their perspectives on various existing challenges and charted a way forward.
They enjoined all beneficiaries to wholly embrace new initiatives to deepen socio-economic impact through the establishment of the PAP Cooperative Scheme, initiated by PAP Interim Administrator.
They noted that the PAP has carried out various training and reintegration initiatives and urged that the Programme be sustained with greater vigour and funding.
They urged youths of the Niger Delta to sustainably embrace peace and work with the government to ensure effective implementation of the PAP initiatives aimed at addressing the socio-economic and developmental challenges of the region.
They called on the federal government to accord special attention to the Presidential Amnesty Programme, which according to them, has remained a major booster to the critical oil and gas industry, from which the country earns most of its revenue.
Calls were also made for the Amnesty Programme to “be inclusive, to cover all properly accredited delegates, and improved conditions for its implementation, as regards welfare of beneficiaries” in line with the economic realities of the country.
They urged Ndiomu to establish Liaison Offices in the Niger Delta states to ensure effective implementation of PAP initiatives, and the establishment of a single window liaison at the PAP headquarters for the purpose of resolving issues brought before the PAP management.
Leaders of ethnic nationalities who jointly signed the communique included: Dr. Godknows Igali, Secretary of Board of Trustee’s (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; Engr. Ebi Wodu, National Secretary, Ijaw National Congress (INC) Worldwide; Ms. Annkio Briggs, Critical Stakeholder; Chief Kennedy Odiowei National Financial Secretary (INC) and others.
