Barry Ndiomu, the new interim administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), says President Muhammadu Buhari has been generous to ex-Niger Delta militants, disclosing that the programme will not continue indefinitely.
He also pledged to ensure transparency and accountability in the programme’s administration.
This is contained in a statement signed by his media aide Thomas Peretu in Yenagoa.
During his maiden interaction with some leaders of ex-agitators, Mr Ndiomu said he would, among other things, be guided by the core mandate of passion, transparency, accountability and drive.
“I will create new channels to ensure constant dialogue with the programme beneficiaries and stakeholders in the Niger Delta region. I will pursue a managerial paradigm shift that would dismantle all the challenges hindering the programme and blocking exit routes of trained agitators,” stated Mr Ndiomu.
According to him, the programme is designed with an exit route for all trained and empowered ex-agitators adding that retaining the same number of ex-agitators after 13 years of operation “was against PAP’s mandate.”
He added that President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime was magnanimous to extend the programme’s life span for peace and harmony in the region and appealed to stakeholders to bear in mind that one day the programme would end as it did in other conflict zones, especially in South America.
Mr Ndiomu, however, said the programme would not be terminated abruptly in the interest of the prevailing peace in the Niger Delta.
“Maybe someday, the programme may transit or metamorphose into a more robust and sustainable initiative that will take into account the special needs of the people in the face of present dynamics of the region,” he said.
He appealed to the delegates and stakeholders in the Niger Delta to support his administration’s efforts to realise the mandate of PAP and further promised to revive all the PAP vocational centres for massive deployment of ex-agitators for training and empowerment.
All representatives of the various stakeholders at the meeting promised to support Mr Ndiomu’s plans to actualise the mandate of PAP in the region’s interest.
(NAN)
