The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP)

  • FG pledges to work directly with oil producing communities

    The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh, says the Federal Government will henceforth work directly with the oil producing communities in the region.

    Boroh, who is also the Coordinator Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), said this in an interview in Abuja on Tuesday.

    He said the Federal Government would involve the youths and stakeholders in the development of their communities.

    The presidential aide said the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is committed to finding a lasting solution to the unrest, instability and underdevelopment of the region.

    According to him, the Federal Government is proposing a new vision that focuses on technological advancement and innovation in improving the value of oil produced in the region.

    The coordinator said Acting President Yemi Osinbajo’s visit to Benin and tour of the region will go a long way to win the confidence of the youths and the leaders.

    He explained that the tour is also a fact finding mission on issues affecting the region.

    He said the visit was also to fulfill the Buhari’s administration earlier promised of ensuring the genuinely development.

    “People finally can see this government face to face and discuss their problems and their perceptions are finally changing for the better.

    “The pipeline bombing and other violent threats have almost disappeared in the region.

    “Before now there were no forum to meet and no opportunity for interaction and exchange of ideas by opinion leaders,” he said.

    Boroh explained that with the interaction there was better understanding of the challenges of government in tackling the Niger Delta problems.

    He said the tour had provided an opportunity to reassess the journey so far and the way forward.

  • N/Delta: Ex-militant leader warns avengers

    N/Delta: Ex-militant leader warns avengers

    A prominent ex-militant leader,  Africanus Ukparasia, yesterday, vowed to resist renewed threats by the Niger Delta Avengers to begin attacks on oil installations in the region.

    Ukparasia, formerly known in the creeks of the Niger Delta region as ‘General’ Africa warned the avengers to stay away from the region especially his home state, Bayelsa.

    The former commander of the Movement for Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) reportedly spoke in Yenagoa when he patrolled the creeks of Bayelsa.

    The former creek warlord, who chairs the Bayelsa State Waterways Security Task Force (BSWSTF), said he would not joke with his mandate to secure the creeks of the state and stop the nefarious activities of avengers and their ilk.

    He said the gods of Bayelsa would not allow avengers to cause chaos, and further degrade the state’s environment.

    He noted that his task force was ready to deal decisively with anybody, who tried to turn the state into a theatre of a needless war and destruction of lives and property.

    Ukparasia said he would not fold his arms and watch a ragtag group to give the military reasons to invade Niger Delta communities.

    “We advise Bayelsans to report any suspicious movement in their communities as it is the duty of all to be vigilant against the nefarious activities of criminals who cause problems to give the military reason to invade our communities for innocent people to suffer”, he said.

    He said the task force would no longer allow the destruction of oil facilities in Bayelsa, with the attendant consequences of low federal allocation and nonpayment of salaries.

    He also advised youths not to fall for the antics of some persons deceiving them to buy firearms to partake in a phantom arms buy-back programme of the Federal Government.

    He said: “The Waterways Security Task Force headed by me was legally established by the Federal Government in collaboration with the Bayelsa state Government to stop crime and criminal activities along the waterways of Bayelsa state.

    “We pledge to work with the security agencies to maintain peace and order in the state. We, hereby, warn that anyone trying to sabotage the peace in the state will be decisively dealt with as no stone will be left unturned to maintain the peace currently being enjoyed in the state.

    “We call on the security agencies to watch the activities of some undesirable elements in our society to avert any possible breakdown of law and order”, he said.

    Ukparasia further commended the Governor of Bayelsa, Mr. Seriake Dickson, for his commitment to the peace and stability in the Niger Delta region.

    He said that if all the Niger Delta governors had been committed to the peace of the region like Dickson, the Niger Delta would have been one of the most peaceful regions in the country.

    He also advised Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state to imitate Dickson by working with all persons that could bring peace to the region regardless of party affiliations.

    It was also gathered that following the renewed threats by avengers, the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), summoned all the former Niger Delta agitators to an emergency meeting.

    A statement by PAP’s Media Consultant, Mr. Wabiye Idoniboyeobu, said the meeting held in Benin City, the capital of Edo State, on Wednesdadding that all the ex-agitators vowed to maintain the peace in the region.

    The statement said: “The meeting which had the sole focus of fostering peace and stability in the Niger Delta region, was well attended, and had leaders, state coordinators and members from all the nine Niger Delta States.

    “The meeting can be tagged a huge success, as all the leaders present, pledged their support for the current administration’s, Agricultural Empowerment Programmes for beneficiaries.

    The ex-agitators, in a unanimous voice, resolved to protect the sovereignty of the country and expose anyone found vandalizing oil and gas installations within their communities, siting its negative effect on the environment and the mindset of investors”.

    One of the leaders, Pastor Ruben Wilson, was quoted as thanking Boroh for his unbiased coordination of the amnesty programme.

    He said that under Boroh’s watch the programme transformed from a political tool, to a well coordinated reintegration platform for the repentant agitators of the Niger Delta region.

  • Ijaw youths to militants:  Give Buhari a chance

    Ijaw youths to militants:  Give Buhari a chance

    …Youths hail President for seeking more funds for amnesty office
    Ijaw youths, Wednesday, urged militants operating in the Niger Delta region to sheathe their swords and allow President Muhammadu Buhari to implement his developmental projects in the region.

    The youths under the aegis of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, said they were excited at the recent letter the President sent to the National Assembly seeking more funding for the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP).

    Speaking in Yenagoa, the state capital, the President of IYC, Mr. Udengs Eradiri, said the request for more funds for the Amnesty Office portrayed Buhari a listening President.

    Eradiri said though the action of the President came later than expected, it would go a long way to calm the frayed nerves in the region adding that it was in conformity with the position of IYC.

    He advised the President to show similar commitment in improving the lots of other institutions created to develop the region such as the Niger Delta Ministry and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

    He said: “The President just sent a letter to the National Assembly requesting for more funds especially to support the amnesty programme. The breakdown of law and order in the Niger Delta is largely attributed to shortage of funding to the office.

    “We want to commend Mr. President and thank him because once we have this kind of commitment, Niger Delta question will be resolved. We look forward to doing everything possible on our part to ensure that there is peace.

    “We are appealing to the President to in the same spirits look into the Niger Delta Ministry as well as funds that are owed NDDC”.

    Eradiri further asked the President to activate his anti-corruption drive in the monitoring and tracking funds allocated to Niger Delta interventionist agencies.

    Apart from ensuring discipline in the usage of allocated funds, he said Buhari should ensure that the funds were managed by people who understood the issues and problems in the region.

    He said: “We want to also state that while approving funds to institutions like this, the anti-corruption drive must be activated to ensure that the institutions live up to expectation to ensure that funds are not diverted.

    “Those in the position to manage the amnesty office and other institutions addressing the issues of the region must be people who have knowledge of the issues. If he doesn’t have the right people to address the issues, even the funding will be misplaced”.

    While asking militants to give the president a chance, he said: “Yes, the militants should give the government a chance. But the government needs to be proactive and not falling into this stereotype attitude.

    “The President may be doing the right thing but when there is delay, his body language may be misinterpreted. Like if this current step of the President had come earlier and other steps we expect like pronouncing the resumption of the maritime university, l don’t see any sane agitator going against him.

    “The President has taken an action. But did we have to lose all these lives, economy and all the constraints and emotional crisis before such a letter should be transmitted.

    “Sometimes when you do something late, it has repercussions. If the actions Mr. President is taking now had been taken earlier, we wouldn’t have gotten to this point where the economy will be lying prostrate. We need more proaactive steps from the President”.

    To ensure general peace in the country, Eradiri further advised the President to extend Olive branches to other parts of the country and ethnic nationalities causing distractions for him.

    He suggested that Buhari should look into the issues of the detained Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Shia Muslim cleric, Ibrahim Zakzaky to ensure total reconciliation and peace in the country.

    “We want to commend Mr.President for the bold steps; he should extend it to other parts of the country. He should make decision that will bring everybody to the roundtable.

    “The issue of El Zakzaky, the IPOB leader and other issues that are creating more divisions and distractions for the President should be looked into in the spirits of reconciliation.

    “He had negotiated with Book Haram. He is negotiating with the Niger Delta. He should extend the Olive branch to other facets of the polity creating distractions for him. We desire him to succeed because if he does, Nigeria will succeed. If he fails, all of us will fail”, he said.

  • Unpaid amnesty stipends: Ex-militants drag FG, Boroh to court

    Unpaid amnesty stipends: Ex-militants drag FG, Boroh to court

    The Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Thursday, fixed November 8 to hear a suit filed by 11 ex-militants against an ex-militant leader, Mr. Emomotimi Ukparasia, popularly known as ‘General’ Africa, following non-payment of their amnesty stipends.

    Also joined in the suit are the Federal Government, the Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Gen. Paul Boroh (retd) and the Attorney-General of the Federation.

    The ex-militants, who were in the camp of Africa, are praying the court to declare that they are validly qualified beneficiaries of the amnesty programme.

    They are also seeking a declaration that the defendants are liable especially Boroh for the payment of their allowances from October 2009 till the termination of the programme.

    They are praying the court to mandate the defendants to pay “the sum of N65,000 multiplied by 11 persons being their monthly allowance from October 2009 to September 2012 amounting to N25.6million only and the total accruals of their allowances at the termination of this suit”.

    In their statement of claims, the ex-militants averred that they accepted the amnesty declaration of the Federal Government, submitted themselves to the disarmament process and participated fully in the post amnesty orientation training at Obubra, Cross River State.

    They said they were given three certificates each by the trainees who were contracted for the training by the government.

    According to them, they were identified by Africa for admission into the camp and issued identity cards by the Presidential Amnesty Programme adding that having passed through the processes they became qualified to benefit from the programme.

    They further averred that based on their qualifications, the defendants asked them to open accounts in different banks for the payment of their stipends.

    “We concluded the training and ought to start receiving allowances from October 2009 till the end of the amnesty programme but have not received anything.

    “Since we finished our orientation and were asked to leave the camp with promises that we would start receiving our allowances, we have not received any allowance or any other monies for any reasons related to the amnesty programme from the defendant or any other persons”, they said.

    The suit listed the aggrieved ex-militants as Karibo Allen, Sunday Elijah, Utiki Claudius, Boukeme Nimitei, Kingsley Nichodemus, Leleindine and Sanga Sanga.

    Others are James Godgift, Philip Bibinibeye, Joseph Macdonus and Allison Timi-Izuo.

  • 30 ex-militants for engineering course in France

    The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has entered into a partnership with Schlumberger Limited for the purpose of training some ex-militants in oil drilling engineering.

    Thirty ex-militants have been shortlisted for the programme at the Schlumberger Technologies, Melun in France.

    The training will last 42 weeks.

    The first batch of the engineers-to-be was deployed on Friday.

    At the pre-deployment orientation for the delegates in Abuja, the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Chairman, Presidential Amnesty Programme, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, charged the delegates to be good ambassadors of Nigeria in France.

    Kuku, who was represented by the Deputy Director (Procurement), Mr Jaiyeola Tikolo, said the Amnesty Office considers the training very important because of the pedigree and global status of the company.

    He said: “There is always a great reward for hard work. So you must be good ambassadors of your country.”

    The Chief Security Officer to the programme, Lt. Col. Ade Adekoya, read out the code of conduct to the delegates and advised them to abide by the laws of the host country.

    “All forms of violence or disorderly conduct before, during or after your training are strictly prohibited. Anyone who engages in activities that affect the training of other delegates will be expelled from the programmes,” he said.

    According to a representative of Lagoon Global Services, an engaged vendor of the amnesty office, Bekewei Ajuwa, the delegates were selected by Schlumberger staff, who came to Nigeria to conduct a very rigorous selection test.

    Schlumberger is the world’s largest oilfield services company, with approximately 120,000 employees representing more than 140 nationalities and working in more than 85 countries.

    It has principal offices in Houston in the USA, Paris in France, and the Hague in The Netherlands.