•••SAYS HIS DREAM IS TO SET UP ALTERNATIVE, MORE SUSTAINABLE AGENCY
The Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Maj. Gen. Barry Ndiomu, has given the assurance that the programme will not be terminated abruptly.
Ndiomu’s declaration addresses concerns in the region that the programme would be brought to an end on December 31.
The retired Maj. Gen spoke during a courtesy visit to the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Chief Umanah Umanah in Abuja.
The new Amnesty boss said that his dream is to create an alternative and more sustainable agency designed to effectively address the needs of the people of the oil impacted communities of the Niger Delta.
The Special Adviser, to the Amnesty Boss, Mr Thomas Peretu, said in a statement on Thursday that the mandate of his boss was to wind down the programme in consonance with international best practices.
He explained that “the Niger Delta Amnesty programme was supposed to have been scrapped in 2015, but that the government in its wisdom, felt the need to extend its lifespan to embrace more ex-agitators, explaining that “this does not mean the programme should remain in perpetuity.”
Ndiomu explained that the PAP which was initially designed to last for five years has been in existence for 13 years, stressing that it is not supposed to last forever .
“There is a deliberate, purposeful and systematic approach to stagger the process of disengagement in the interest of its target audience”, maintaining that “the programme will not be halted abruptly. Such a decision may bring about some forms of attendant negative reaction from stakeholders.
Gen. Ndiomu said, “My intention is to engage in a mutually and beneficial relationship with the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs in view of the enormity of the assignment given to him by the presidency.” The statement said
In his response, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Chief Umanah Umanah,
called for concerted efforts to be made “to ensure that the Amnesty Programme was not scrapped without providing an alternative body to cushion the effects of the backlash from the ex-agitators.”
The minister who agreed that the PAP was not meant to last forever urged the interim administrator to embark on an audit of the scheme to ascertain its financial health.
He said that bringing the PAP to end end should be given a human face.