The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has raised concerns that some mischief-makers are spreading falsehood against the Interim Administrator of PAP, Maj-Gen Barry Ndiomu (rtd).
Special Assistant, Media, PAP, Mr Freston Akpor, in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday, urged the public to disregard false allegations being peddled by “some faceless people”.
Akpor said: “The attention of the Presidential Amnesty Programme has been drawn to a press conference held by one Friday Iko urging anti-graft and related agencies to investigate the PAP over alleged corruption and imputing fraud in the disbursement of funds to the PAP Cooperative.
“Iko had among other issues alleged that some members of staff in the office are receiving huge amounts for welfare ranging between 15 to 10 million Naira for monthly running cost.
“The monies mentioned are clearly a figment of the imagination of the newsmaker who intends to use the media to achieve malicious ends only known to him.
“The allegations are not only false but also baseless and a calculated attempt to commence another round of a smear campaign against the Interim Administrator and his dedicated management team by forces from within and outside the office.
“The PAP has conducted a background check on the purported newsmaker and has found no person of note with that name or identity. The media is therefore advised to be circumspect in allowing personalities bearing pseudonyms to use their platforms to broadcast or publish such mischief as they (media houses) could be in the cross hairs of possible litigations,” he stated.
PAP media assistant added that “As a national security programme, the PAP under General Ndiomu has been ethical and above board in discharging its mandate of ensuring peace and stability in the Niger Delta region.
“The PAP therefore wish to call on the security agencies to arrest those spreading falsehood to undermine the peace in the region.
“The PAP will also not hesitate to bring charges against those who employ such falsehood in order to defame the chief executive and hardworking staff of the Programme”.
Meanwhile, a Niger Delta group under the auspices of the Niger Delta Integrity Group (NDIG), said that it has come to their knowledge that “certain self-seeking individuals who are lobbying to snatch the top job of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) are responsible for spreading falsehood against the leadership of the Programme”.
The Convener, NDIG, Dr. Boma Horsfall, while reacting to the development in a statement in Abuja said the allegations of massive fraud in the PAP as reported by some sections of the media were unsubstantiated and is inconsiderately geared towards bringing the image of the Interim Administrator to disrepute.
He noted that there was a criminal conspiracy of PAP beneficiaries who were delisted because of stipends payment BVN fraud, to blackmail Major General Barry Ndiomu (rtd) with falsehoods.
He described a statement issued by a ‘faceless’ Friday Iko urging anti-graft agencies to investigate the PAP over alleged fraud as a mischievous attempt to smear the PAP leadership and management.
He added that Friday Iko’s assertion that some members of staff in the office are receiving huge amounts for welfare ranging between 15 to 10 million naira for monthly running costs, is only a fictitious imagination.
NDIG appealed to the Federal Government to engage the services of credible multinational professional services networks such as Price Water House Coopers International Limited (PWC) and Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler (KPMG), to set examinations to test some of these persons parading themselves for the PAP job.
“The government will be shocked to see that they will run back into their holes, as they lack the intellectual capacity to head such a sensitive office. It’s shameful that our country has found itself in such a situation that miscreants and illiterates will be aspiring for sensitive public service jobs.
“The pedigree and capacity of Ndiomu, a seasoned retired General, is scarce in the region, hence, the need for positive minded people to rally round him and give him the much needed support to reposition the PAP and bring the needed growth to our youths.
“As a group, the NDIG wishes to reiterate that it is the trademark culture and tradition of our people to blackmail each other for selfish reasons and gains.
“The NDIG urges relevant security agencies to go after those spreading falsehood and inciting the public negatively. We also urge the Interim Administrator to not be deterred in his noble quest to change the negative narrative of the Amnesty Programme for the benefit of the entire Niger Delta Region,” he stated.
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