Ex-militants from the nine states of the Niger Delta region have challenged the federal government to back up the recent tour of the acting president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo with the immediate payment of the five months stipends owed amnesty beneficiaries in the region.
According to Ceoafrica, the former militant leaders, are of the view that, the benefits of the acting president’s tour should be backed by the immediate release of the budgetary allocations meant for the presidential amnesty programme to pave way for the effective and efficient management of the programme.
The former militants, under the aegis of the Leadership, Peace and Cultural Development Initiative (LPCDI), which is the umbrella body of over ninety per cent of the first phase leaders of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, while making their position known at the end of the meeting held in Yenagoa, stated that the timely release of the funds was very necessary in order to strengthen the on-going efforts made by the federal government to enthrone lasting peace in the Niger Delta region.
According to the communiqué issued at the end of the meeting and signed by the national president of the Leadership, Peace and Cultural Development Initiative, Chief Reuben Wilson, acknowledged and appreciated the role of the acting president of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, to foster peace and development of the region, “but maintained that the prompt release of the funds will go a long way in strengthening the achievements of the acting president; owning from his visits.”
“The delay in payments of stipends of beneficiaries of the Presidential Amnesty programme will greatly negate the current efforts of the federal government in enthroning peace in the region, adding that the Presidential Amnesty programme is a great contributor to the current peace prevailing in the region”.
The statement reads “The group is greatly concerned about the current state of lack of funds in the amnesty office to carry out its programmes which are designed to permanently eradicate restiveness in the Niger Delta region for the betterment of the entire country”
“As stakeholders, who truly want the accelerated development of the Niger Delta, the delay could slow the on-going peace process and we wouldn’t want such to happen. Anyone, or group of persons that do not consider the importance of the Presidential Amnesty Programme in the peace building process of the region is an enemy of the Nation.
“Such person, or group of persons do not also mean well for the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, as the economic prosperity and development of the Nation still, largely, depends.