Hundreds of Niger Delta militants yesterday invaded Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital and disrupted the investigative hearing on corruption, initiated by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The militants, who forced their way into the Royal Banquet Hall of the five-star hotel, owned by the Rivers State government, prevented the hearing from holding, despite the tight security provided by riot policemen and other security personnel at the hotel.
The agitators did not bother about the presence of prominent monarchs, members of civil society groups and NDDC contractors from across the nine states of the Niger Delta.
Their grouse was that the Federal Government’s interventionist agency did not invite them to the hearing, which was erroneously thought to be a forum to award contracts or to share money.
One of the militants who declined to give his name, said: “If you move close to me, I will punch your face. I am not ready to speak with any journalist.
“We are also NDDC contractors. Why will NDDC invite some contractors and ignore many others? Since the commission has refused to invite us, the investigative hearing will not hold.
“If the hearing is fixed for another day and venue, without inviting us, we will still not allow it to hold. We are critical stakeholders in the Niger Delta. We must all be carried along.”
The six-member committee on corruption charges is headed by Dr. Ekanim Princewill, who is NDDC’s Special Duties Director.
The hearing was to unravel allegations of corruption and racketeering concerning the commission.
It was fixed for 12 noon at the expansive and well-decorated hall, with all the 100 randomly-selected contractors from the nine Niger Delta states seated. The event started on time.
As the moderator, Iniruo Wills, a lawyer, who is a former Bayelsa State Commissioner for the Environment, was making his opening remarks and addressing the contactors and other eminent personalities, the militants invaded the hall at 12;15 p.m.
Efforts were made by Niger Delta leaders to prevail on the militants to allow the hearing to hold, but they kept shouting and making attempts to upturn the chairs and tables, as well as beat up the NDDC’s top officials and other dignitaries.
The rowdiness continued for over 30 minutes and when it became obvious that they would not allow the hearing to hold, Wills announced its cancellation. He said a new date would be fixed.
A civil society group leader at the hearing, Mr. David Ugolor, who is the Executive Director, African Network for Environment and Economic Justice, condemned the behaviour of the militants.
He said the impunity and lawlessness in the Niger Delta must end, paving the way for sustainable development of the crude oil and gas-rich region.
NDDC spokesman Chijioke Amu-Nnadi, who is a member of the committee on corruption charges, told reporters after the event: “The public hearing is for persons, especially contractors who have stories to tell, questions to ask and who have evidence to show that the allegations are true.
“When we started in the committee, our responsibility was to reach as many contractors who had things to say on allegations of corruption. We sent letters to them and we expanded it to contractors across the nine states of the Niger Delta, in order to get to the bottom of the matter, as directed by NDDC’s Managing Director, Mr. Nsima Ekere.
“Sadly, what happened today (yesterday) is typical of things that go on in the Niger Delta region, where the best intentions are misunderstood. Most of the things happened long before he (Ekere) became the managing director and he still found it important to set up the committee, to take decisive action, to put an end to the stories.”
Tag: Niger-Delta
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Niger Delta militants disrupt hearing on corruption in Port Harcourt
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Celebrating Niger Delta women in grand style
The beautiful women from the host communities of Total Exploration and Production (E&P) Nigeria Limited in the Niger Delta, who wore classy uniform provided by the oil giant, were specially celebrated in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
The celebration, which took place at Total Base, Trans-Amadi Industrial Layout in the Garden City, attracted many resource persons, with some eminent men also in attendance to make the occasion grand, but all the resource persons were women, as a form of motivation for others.
The well-attended annual event, a capacity development workshop for the women, was part of activities to mark this year’s International Women’s Day, with the theme: “Be Bold For Change.”
The International Women’s Day is a day set aside by the United Nations (UN) to celebrate women achievements throughout history and across nations. It is also known as the United Nations Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace.
The 2017 theme is tailored towards addressing the rising disparity between men and women, which is a call for all women to take unprecedented actions in all spheres of life.
Poverty used to be more acute among women living in rural areas, while women were hitherto poorer, because they had fewer economic opportunities and less autonomy than men.
Women are currently striving to work harder to build a better world and participate more actively in the development process, while it is pertinent to stress that when women are given opportunities, they will surely do well.
At Total’s workshop, papers were presented by Southsouth Zonal Operations Controller of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Mrs. Chioma Njoku; an Assistant Director in the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Emem Daniel, and the Founder of Tin Industrial Services Limited, Mrs. Tina Njoku.
The DPR boss said: “We need to celebrate women everyday. Stop exploiting women. While women are being bold for change, they must not be insultive, disrespectful, arrogant or impolite. The powers of women are enormous, but they must change the way they do things/change their attitude and make themselves relevant.
“Women must be adequately empowered, but they must start the change from their tiny corners. Let men know that women also have brains/something upstairs, are competent not to limit themselves and not to be afraid of challenging jobs, but to embrace hard work.”
In her presentation, the assistant director in the Akwa Ibom state ministry of justice stated that women would always hold the key to peace in families, for the communities to be at peace, but urged the women to add value to themselves.
Daniel, a lawyer, admonished the women to always take good care of their children and their homes, stressing that women must not be predictable, declaring that the change they want must start with themselves.
The assistant director said: “I love being a woman. Women are not taking the place of men, but give them equal opportunities. That is the essence of gender parity. Women must be responsible, embrace peace and say no to war.”
While presenting a paper titled: “Networking For Change,” the founder of Tin Industrial Services Limited urged the women to step up, but change with boldness and respect, while utilising every opportunity to network, make useful friends and expand their horizon.
Tina Njoku noted that every gathering must be seen as an opportunity to learn, grow and build relationships, especially for women to better their lives, while displaying courage and boldness.
The founder of Tin Industrial Services Limited said: “Confront fear and you will discover that it is not as powerful as you thought. Be women of substance, who will be respectful and humble, but make efforts to ensure change, which will come when you take a step.”
The Rivers State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs. Ukel Oyaghiri, who was the special guest of honour at the training, urged women to be bold and courageous, in order to be recognised in the society and given opportunities.
She, however, cautioned women not to be rude or disrespectful, but to be polite, humble, seek knowledge and place emphasis on qualitative education, in order to move forward.
Oyaghiri, a lawyer, called on women to take unprecedented actions in all spheres of life, while stepping up in their quest for gender parity.
Rivers commissioner for women affairs said: “The call is for women to do more and society to value their contributions. If the contributions of women are valued, well remunerated and equal training and opportunities are given to both men and women in the key areas of education, health, economy and politics, the gender gap will be closed, even before 2030, as pegged by the United Nations and the society will be better for all of us.
“Give women the opportunity and they will do well. A woman who is not properly trained with the requisite skills cannot be bold for change. It is when the woman is trained that she can compete favourably to effect the needed change.
“It is on this premise that the training by Total is organised, to give the women the needed knowledge and understanding that will spur them to take bold actions and steps in politics, business and education etc., in order to close the gender gap and gradually ensure the attainment of Vision 2030.”
Oyaghiri also stated that knowledge, training and education were key to continuous living and sustenance, while insisting that knowledge is key to a better life.
Rivers women affairs commissioner lauded Total for organising the workshop, which she described as a step in the right direction, while urging other corporate bodies to emulate the oil giant, especially in the area of women capacity building and equally commended Governor Nyesom Wike for giving priority attention to peace and development of Rivers state.
In his keynote address, Total’s Deputy Managing Director, Francios Le Cocq, disclosed that the annual workshop was to key into the United Nations’ values for women development by providing a veritable platform for capacity building and networking for women in the oil firm’s host communities.
He noted that the theme: “Be Bold For Change,” was indicative of the UN’s action to better the lots of women world over.
Le Cocq said: “To us in TEPNG (Total), we have deliberately decided to align ourselves to the fast track in gender parity. In the past one year, women development activities have been elevated to heights never seen before in the company.
“For those who are keen watchers of TEPNG’s activities, you will notice that women development programmes have received a boost never seen before.
“TEPNG is committed to policies that stand out against gender-based discrimination, marginalisation, violence, human rights abuses and unequal access to education and healthcare. TEPNG promotes equal opportunities in leadership and participation for both genders.”
The deputy managing director also stated that women and men could be leaders within their spheres of influence, by taking bold and pragmatic actions to accelerate gender parity and change.
Le Cocq, whose family members were earlier in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, disclosed that members of his family now prefer and enjoying Port Harcourt.
In order to have a better society, men should always encourage women to grow, excel, make useful contributions and given equal opportunities. Men must never be intimidated by the achievements of women
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Shell: we’ve moved our headquarters to Niger Delta
Shell Petroleum Development Company Limited (SPDC) has relocated its headquarters to the Niger Delta, even before the Federal Government’s directive that oil companies should do so, the oil giant has said.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo gave the directive during a tour of the oil- producing region last month.
During the tour, Osinbajo met with elders and deliberated on how to maintain peace in the region and boost crude oil production.
Shell’s Media Relations Manager Precious Okolobo told The Nation that his company operates from the region. He said: “I can confirm that Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) is already based in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.”
He said the issue of whether Shell operates from the region did not arise as the multinational was committed to oil production, good corporate governance provision and compliance with environmental and regulatory laws in the country.
He said the company concerned itself with operation in the oil and gas sector, adding that the firm’s resolve is to achieve goals that are beneficial to it and the environment where it operates.
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Akwa Ibom Speaker calls for prosecution of fraudulent leaders
The Speaker of Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, Mr Onofiok Luke, has called for the prosecution of community leaders and government officials who divert public funds through fraudulent companies.
Luke made the call while delivering a lecture on Wednesday, at the second public lecture of Ritman University, Ikot Ekpene, on “Good Governance: A Panacea to Community Development’’.
He said that community development effort must be devoid of white elephant projects to showcase massive buildings and attract praises, but sincere initiative and effort toward addressing the actual need of the people.
He decried that community leaders in the Niger Delta have failed in their little way to be accountable to the grassroots and engage in cases of brazen thievery.
The speaker pointed out that most leaders in the country and indeed Africa have failed in their responsibilities, adding that leadership was a social contract.
“It is also a fact that most leaders have failed their respective communities. Leaders have abandoned the oath of office and put their selfish interest above the communal interest.
`Some of these leaders are not altruistic but deploy the common wealth for their selfish gains”.
“The need for attitudinal re-orientation cannot be over emphasised. Altruism shall be the guiding principle if our leaders must deliver the dividend of good governance to the people who elected them. We must return to the team spirit,” Luke said.
The speaker stressed the need for leaders to think more of building an efficient and empowered community rather than building personal empires from the common wealth.
He said that government must be seen to be participatory, transparent, accountable, equitable and respect for the rule of law.
He said that leaders whether those voted or appointed into leadership positions must have genuine desire to serve the people than overbearing quest for personal aggrandizement.
The speaker recommended that priority must be placed on provision of basic social amenities to make quality of life meaningful in communities across Africa.
Luke also challenged religious leaders, family heads and leaders of various units of communities to preach and act towards unity and not division, and to avoid taking undue advantage of the vulnerable populace through deceit and false prophesies.
He stressed the need for academic institutions to be fair and disciplined, even as he expected students to work hard in their academic pursuits.
Besides, the speaker challenged the youths to rise above ethnic bigotry, vagaries of the past and positioned themselves for good leadership.
The Vice Chancellor, Ritman University, Ikot Ekpene, Prof. Celestine Ntuen, said that youths hold the ace in developing the communities and the nation at large.
Ntuen said that youths were the most potent and most viable among the resource that the country was blessed with.
He lamented some greedy politicians who drained the nation dry were able to succeed with their nefarious act because youths complicit with them.
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Niger Delta: Illegal refiners to be shareholders of modular refineries
• Proposal meant to sell crude directly to them
Details of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s New Vision for oil-producing communities in the Niger Delta, is emerging as an idea is now being worked out to explore how some of the illegal refiners and the local communities in the region can become shareholders in the proposed Modular refineries concept of the Federal Government, presidency sources have disclosed.
The consideration going on now is subsequent to the promises made by the Federal Government during the presidential interactive engagements in several oil-producing States led by the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to integrate the illegal refiners, rather than a scorched-earth policy that seeks to eliminate the operations of such refiners.
But sources said there are a number of significant hurdles to be crossed especially issues around the engineering and technical ramifications of such a conversion, besides figuring out the financial models that would be workable and profitable.
However, specific consideration on how to integrate local “illegal” refiners in the oil-producing communities into the Federal Government’s proposed modular refinery concept is now in progress with the Presidency and the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Agency, NSIA, spear-heading efforts.
At a meeting late last week at the Presidential Villa, issues around technical and engineering implications of how to integrate the refiners were discussed with industry experts and practitioners making presentations on how to implement the Buhari presidency modular refinery initiative said to have been first proposed by Dr. IbeKachikwu, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources.
At the meeting the experts reported that they have worked closely with the NNPC, Oil & Gas operators, owners of marginal fields, operators of refineries and various technical services providers “to develop a workable system to develop this initiative,” a presidency source disclosed.
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Fed Govt to revisit pipeline contracts in Niger Delta
•Shell releases $10m for Ogoni clean up
The Federal Government is set to revisit the pipeline protection contracts, the controversial programme in which many ex-militants were paid multi million naira by the Jonatha administration.
A governmemt source said after a comprehensive review, the police will be part of the “feature in the new Niger Delta vision.”
The source added: “The Presidency has directed the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to look at the protection contracts to ensure that host communities are also incorporated while ensuring a comprehensive review of existing ones.
“Under the new arrangements, the Federal Government will likely renew some existing pipeline protection contracts while new contracts will be signed.”
All is set for the commencement of the Ogoni clean-up with the release of $10billion by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC). This is part of the initial $250million needed for the commencement of the project.
Also, the Federal Government is in the process of setting up a project office as contractors move to site.
About $1billion, which will be sourced from oil sector stakeholders, has been budgeted for the clean-up.
The Federal Government on June 2, 2016 inaugurated the project at a ceremony presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
A top source in the Presidency, who spoke in confidence, said work would soon start in Ogoniland.
The Ogoni clean-up project falls under the environmental remediation programme of the new Niger Delta Development vision proposed by the Buhari Presidency.
The Presidency source said: “A coordinator for the Ogoni clean-up project is now in place and is in the process of setting up a project office and recruitment of staff while the contractors have moved to site to demonstrate the appropriate technology for the project.
“An initial $10m out of the initial $250m for the commencement of the project has been released by Shell while the project office has commenced the opening of accounts for funding of the project.’
“The Ogoni clean-up project is to be funded with an initial $1 billion from the oil sector stakeholders comprising the NNPC, SPDC, Total and AGIP.” -
Osinbajo says Buhari committed to fair deal in Niger Delta
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Friday reaffirmed President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment to offer a better deal to the people of Niger Delta.
He made the assertion while presiding over an inter-ministerial follow-up meeting with relevant government ministries, departments and agencies involved in rebuilding the Niger Delta.
Osinbajo was reflecting on the past leadership and governance failures which explained the worrying conditions of residents in the oil-producing communities.
“The people still deserve a fair deal,” he explained, noting that this is the position of Buhari.
He said it was also the reason that the Buhari-led administration was advocating a New Vision for the people of the region.
“The President believes that the people of Niger Delta deserve justice and, for me also, it is a very important point.
“It is the resource base of the country and in spite of the past leadership failure, the Niger Delta people deserve a fair deal,” he said.
The vice president told the inter-ministerial team that the meeting was to ensure “we are faithful to the promises and the spirit of the presidential engagements with the people of the Niger Delta”.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was attended by the Niger Delta Affairs Minister Usani Uguru Usani; Petroleum Resources Minister of State Ibe Kachikwu, and the Environment Minister of State Ibrahim Jubril.
Others were the Presidential Adviser on Amnesty Programme, retired Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh, and the Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr Nsima Ekere.
The ministers and officials made presentations about the next steps in the process to effectively meet the commitments and deliver the promises made by the Federal Government during the interactive engagement tours led by the vice president.
In his presentation, Jubril disclosed that the ministry had fully engaged the Ogoni Clean-Up Project Coordinator, Dr Marvin Dekil, himself an indigene of Ogoni.
He also said that potential contractors had been visiting the site to demonstrate available and suitable technology to be used for the Clean-Up.
The vice president later received a delegation of western diplomats from countries involved in the oil industry in Nigeria.
The delegation was led by Amb. John Groffen, the Dutch envoy in Nigeria, as well as the ambassadors and High Commissioners or their deputies from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, U.S. and the European Union.
Osinbajo told the diplomats that the idea of the interactive engagements with the oil-producing communities resulted from President Buhari’s meeting with leaders from the region in November 2016.
He said that the Buhari-led administration was working on how to make a positive and long-lasting impact in the region in a way that would transform the lives of the people.
The vice president also said that the federal government would welcome the partnership and support of western countries in that effort.
Amb. Groffen, on behalf of the delegation, said that the countries represented at the meeting would like to stay involved in the dialogue.
He commended the approach of the Buhari-led administration in the matter.
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‘Govt’s Niger Delta peace moves ‘ll boost economy’
Nigeria’s quest to come out of recession in the next one year is achievable if the current peace moves in the Niger Delta region are sustained, oil experts have said.
The experts which including the Technical Adviser, Propetrol Limited, Mr Olajugbe Olabisi and the Chief Executive Officer, Abuja Power Station, Mr. Jameel Jammal, said with sustained peace in the Niger Delta region, oil production will improve and government’s revenue will increase.
Nigeria, last week, overtook Angola as the largest oil producer in Africa, based on its current production of 2.1 million barrels of crude per day (bpd) as against about 1.7million barrels of crude oil per day by Angola.
Before now, the country was behind Angola as a result of militant attacks on oil facilities in the Niger Delta, which dipped production to 1.604 bpd in January. The recent feat, according to stakeholders, would improve the nation’s economy. If the Federal Government and the Niger Delta region indigenes would be able to sustain the peace, crude oil production, they said.
Olabisi said the Federal Government’s decision to encourage peace in the region would help in shortening recession’s lifespan in the economy. He said growth in oil output would lead to a corresponding growth in revenue accruing to the Federal Government, adding that the development would help in building the economy.
He noted that when this happens, the country will focus on other sectors of the economy for growth.
He said: “The issue of ending the quagmire in the economy would not be a problem if the country would be able to sustain peace in the Niger Delta region. The reason is because a conducive operating environment in the region would lead to increase in oil output and revenue needed to manage the economy. This would help the economy to grow. Besides, the government would be able to focus more on the growth of agriculture and other sectors of the economy.
“Peace in the Niger Delta region would enable the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to get enough crude for its Direct Sales and Direct Purchase (DSDP) import model introduced to provide crude oil for refiners abroad and in return bring fuel into the country,” he said.
According to him, one of the causes of recession was the reliance on crude oil to the detriment of other natural resources, stressing that the problems in the Niger Delta had prevented the country from meeting its Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) production quota.
He blamed low oil output, fall in prices and other variables for the recession, stressing that recession would be over when the country continues to increase production of oil.
Jammal said ramping up production to 2.1million bpd was a good development, adding that the feat must be sustained if the country must achieve the desired economic growth. He said the Federal Government would stop struggling once enough revenue are derived from oil and related resources.
“Now that Nigeria has re-established itself as the leading producer of crude oil in Africa, it must not rest on its oars. To achieve this, the country must guarantee total peace in the Niger Delta in order to maximise the potentials in the industry fully,” he said.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, attributed the leap in oil production to the relative peace in the region. He said the visit by the Vice President Prof Yemi Osinbajo to the region has helped in improving crude production well.
Also, NNPC’s Group Managing Director, Maikanti Baru, said the country would be able to increase its oil production once peace thrives in the region.
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Buhari directs Osinbajo to head delegation on Niger Delta crisis
President Muhammadu Buhari has directed Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to head the special presidential delegation charged with the task of resolving the crisis in the Niger Delta region.
The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs retired Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh disclosed this to newsmen on Monday in Abuja.
Boroh said the choice of Osinbajo as leader of the government’s fact-finding delegation to the crisis-ridden region was informed by President Buhari’s strategic plan to engender peace in the region.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that before now, the Niger-Delta elders were leading the delegation on the resolution of the crisis.
However, with the new presidential directive, Boroh said that the Vice President would henceforth head the delegation.
According to him, this will meet the President’s expectations of not only building confidence among the people on government’s intentions but also help in its fact-finding mission on a workable and lasting solution.
“President Buhari knew what he was doing when he directed the Vice President to head the delegation.
“You need to see him in action when he visited different communities in the oil-producing states.
“There is no doubt that the President knows that peace in the Niger Delta region is crucial to the development of the entire country,’’ Boroh said.
He said that the visit of the vice president to the Niger Delta was in phases to cover all Niger Delta states.
According to him, So far we have visited Akwa Ibom, Edo, Bayelsa, Rivers and Imo states.
“The next phase will be Cross River, Abia and Ondo states. By that, we would have covered the entire Niger Delta states.
“This visit is in two folds. It is both a confidence-building and a fact-finding mission because a lot of information has been heard about the Niger Delta but no single person can claim to know all about the Niger delta.
“It requires effort by all stakeholders toward ensuring that issues of the Niger delta are resolved,” he said.
He also explained that efforts were on to pay beneficiaries of the amnesty programme studying abroad.
Boroh said that the problem arose due to the inability of the Federal Government to meet its financial obligations in the various countries.
The coordinator said the Amnesty Office would have to offset a lot of liabilities when funds allocated to it were eventually released.
He, however, said that priority would be given to the foreign beneficiaries, especially those graduating soon.
Boroh said that the Amnesty Office daily deals with false allegations made against it by some aggrieved youth craving to benefit from the programme.
He said that the programme is at the integration phase and it would be difficult to accommodate new entrants, who were not captured when the amnesty offer was first put in place.
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Niger Delta: Why Buhari picked Osinbajo to lead FG team – Boroh
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo’s choice as leader of the government’s fact-finding delegation to the crisis-ridden Niger Delta region is informed by President Muhammadu Buhari’s strategic plan to engender peace in the region.
The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh (retd), who made the disclosure in Abuja on Monday, said the positive impacts of the visit are already being felt in the country as Osinbajo’s hands-on approach reassures the people of government’s commitment to resolve the crisis in the region.
Boroh, who is also the Coordinator of the Amnesty Programme, said efforts are being made to pay beneficiaries of the programme studying abroad and whose fates are hanging in the balance due to inability to meet their financial obligations in the various countries.
He said though the Amnesty Office would have to offset a lot of liabilities when funds allocated to it are eventually released, priority would be given to the foreign beneficiaries especially those who would soon be graduating.
The visit, he noted, would meet the President’s expectations of not only building confidence among the people on government’s intentions but also a fact-finding mission that would pave way for a workable and lasting solution.
Boroh said: “President Muhammadu Buhari knew what he was doing when he directed the Acting President to head the delegation. You need to see him in action as we visit different communities in the oil-producing states.
“There is no doubt that the President knows that peace in the Niger Delta region is crucial to the development of the entire country. The visit of the acting President to the Niger Delta is in phases to cover all Niger Delta states. We have so far visited Akwa Ibom, Edo, Bayelsa, Rivers and Imo States. The next phase will be Cross River, Abia and Ondo States. By that we would have covered the entire Niger Delta states.
“This visit is in two folds. It is both a confidence-building and a fact-finding mission because a lot of information has been heard about the Niger Delta but no single person can claim to know all about the Niger Delta. It requires the common effort by all towards ensuring the issues of the Niger Delta are resolved. The information will be collated and we will sit back and resolve on how best to tackle the information we get, for the immediate, short and long term.”
Boroh, while explaining that the Amnesty Office daily deals with false allegations made against it by some aggrieved youth who crave to benefit from the programme, noted that the progamme is at the integration phase and it would be difficult for it to accommodate new entrants who were not captured when the amnesty offer was in place.
“As for those abroad whose fees are not yet paid, it is an immediate concern of the amnesty program and the entire country as a result of our the downturn in our economy, We have a lot of liabilities but the Amnesty Office try to offset these liabilities as we receive funds. We are prioritising based on those graduating soon. We handle them first and later handle those graduating in the nearest future. It is on course. When the next resources we are expecting get to us, we will offset all the debts,” he said.