Ex-militants task FG on budgetary allocations for amnesty programme

FORMER militants in the Niger Delta have called on the Federal Government to prevail on the Ministry of Finance to, without delay, release approved budgetary allocations for the Presidential Amnesty Programme to pave way for the effective and efficient management of the programme.

The ex-agitators, under the auspices of the Leadership, Peace and Cultural Development Initiative (LPCDI), which is the umbrella body of about 90 per cent of the first phase leaders of the  amnesty programme, made this call during a meeting in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.

According to a press release made available to newsmen in Yenagoa by the national president of the group, Chief Reuben Wilson, the call was a unanimous decision taken by all members of the body.

He stated that timely release of the funds was necessary in order to strengthen the ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to enthrone peace in the  region.

Wilson, in the statement, appreciated the the visit of the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, with stakeholders geared to foster peace and development of the region, but maintained that the prompt release of the funds would go a long way in strengthening the achievements of the visit.

He also noted that the delay in the payment of stipends to beneficiaries of the programme would negate the current efforts of the government to restore peace to the region.

“As stakeholders who truly want the accelerated development of the Niger Delta, we wouldn’t want such to happen because of its negative consequences on both the region and the nation.  Any one or group of persons that do not consider the importance of the 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 depends on the peace in the Niger Delta,” he said.

“Therefore, we are calling for the immediate release of funds meant for the Presidential Amnesty office to avert any situation that will warrant beneficiaries of the programme to go back to the creeks to engage in any unlawful activity, as such will negatively impact on the progress made so far by this administration to engender the accelerated development of the region in particular, and the nation at large, he maintained,” he said.