The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dennis Otuaro, has urged ex-agitators enrolled in the PAP to avoid anything that is inimical to peace and security in the Niger Delta region.
Otuaro urged the ex-agitators to promote peace and security in the oil-rich region, emphasising the importance of avoiding actions that could undermine the objectives of the PAP.
The administrator made the charge at a stakeholders’ meeting with ex-agitators in Warri, Delta State, on Saturday, June 22, 2024.
Otuaro stressed that all stakeholders in the region must work towards this goal and consolidate the success of the PAP to prevent the Niger Delta from relapsing into the pre-amnesty years of serious conflicts and violence, which he said negatively impacted the region and the country.
“Sustaining the peace and security of the Niger Delta is the mandate of the Amnesty Programme, and we must do this for our communities, our children, and their children,” Otuaro said.
Otuaro stated that the PAP was an opportunity for the people of the region which he said if well leveraged could help to resolve some of the challenges of the Niger Delta, especially human capital development.
He urged the stakeholders not to worry, saying he had assurances from President Bola Tinubu that the federal government would prioritise the development of the Niger Delta.
Otuaro said despite its lean budget, the PAP has made significant achievements.
‘I’m not here to make money’: Otuaro tasks PAP officials on productivity
The PAP boss added: “Many delegates and beneficiaries from our impacted communities have received quality training and high-level manpower skills in diverse fields of human endeavours,” he stated.
“Today, several are gainfully employed as air traffic controllers, flight instructors, aircraft maintenance engineers, pilots, and underwater welders.”
“Others have also been trained and empowered through the Programme and are doing very well in various trades such as fashion design, unisex salon, fish farming, baking and confectionery, rice production, hairdressing, cement, and building materials.
“In addition, several PAP scholarship students have made First Class and Second Class Upper in different courses of study, including Medical and Clinical Sciences, in universities at home and abroad. My leadership is committed to sustaining this trajectory of academic excellence, which is being applauded by well-meaning individuals and organizations across the region and indeed the country.”
Many of the delegates at the event commended the PAP boss for the initiative while raising concerns about some aspects of the programme.
The major complaints centred around financial difficulties, with most arguing that the N65,000 stipend had become too meagre to meet their basic needs and should be reviewed.
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