Reps call for appointment of coordinator of Presidential Amnesty Programme

The House of Representatives on Thursday tasked President Muhammadu Buhari on the need to appoint a coordinator for the Presidential Amnesty Programme without further delay.

The resolution was passed sequel to the adoption of a motion on ‘A matter of urgent national importance,’ sponsored by Hon. Preye Oseke, who applauded Federal Government’s decisive step in the nation’s avowed commitment to bringing enduring peace, security, stability and development to the Niger Delta region.

In his lead debate, Hon. Oseke urged the National Security Adviser (NSA) to the President, and the Chief of Defence Staff, as a matter of urgent national security concern, to advise the President to appoint a Coordinator for the Presidential Amnesty Programme for the Niger Delta region, with a clear mandate to optimally actualise the objective of the programme, thus bringing it to a successful conclusion like other disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration programmes in other parts of the world.

“The House also notes that by that declaration, Nigeria demonstrated an unwavering commitment to evolving a holistic solution to the problems of the Niger Delta with a view to securing the region for growth and development, while also effectively tackling the criminal dimension to the problem.

“The House also notes that the main objective of the Presidential Amnesty Programme was to disarm, demobilise and reintegrate armed militants back into communities with benefits such as opportunities in education as well as financial stipends to those who gave up their weapons.

“The House is worried that the Presidential Amnesty Programme has not been able to achieve its ultimate objective of reintegrating all ex-agitators as originally envisioned.

“The House further notes that the absence of a substantive coordinator for the programme is creating a vacuum that makes it difficult for the programme to be managed meaningfully, transparently and brought to a logical end.

“The House is concerned that since Friday 28th February 2020, the erstwhile Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Professor Charles Quaker Dokubo was suspended from office by the President.

“The House is aware that the suspension of the said Coordinator was on the heels of numerous allegations and petitions surrounding the Presidential Amnesty Programme which prompted the National Security Adviser (NSA) to set up a Technical Committee to look into the activities of the programme.

“The House is cognizant that the Presidential Amnesty Programme‘s inability to meet its mandate has culminated in several civil disorders including the blocking of the East-West Road by ex-agitators at different times.

“The House is disturbed that a technical committee was mandated to oversee the programme. a development that has, in no little way, slowed down activities of the programme.

“The House is aware that though the introduction of disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration programmes have become common practice in countries emerging from violent conflict, the most difficult aspect is the successful and long-term reintegration of former combatants into civil life.

“The House is aware also that the prevailing peace in the Niger Delta region is directly proportional to the quantum of crude oil production in the county.

“The House is informed that ongoing research projects by international development agencies have identified that amnesty initiatives fail and fall apart when neither accompanied by meaningful and durable reintegration nor deep-seated socio-economic problems that are tackled simultaneously.

“The House is further informed that pan of recommendations of a recent publication of the Niger Delta Dialogue Secretariat, a European Union-funded research project, the insecurity in the Niger Delta region is caused by militancy, cultism, sea piracy. communal disputes, kidnapping for ransom and electoral violence, vices that could be checked by meaningfully engaging youths of the area, with a specific call on the Presidential Amnesty Programme to live up to its mandate of conclusive reintegration of ex-agitators.

“The House is worried that swiftly following the suspension of the former Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, was the appointment of a successor Acting Chairman, Mohammed Umar; while the experience of the President Amnesty Programme for the Niger Delta region. both under similar circumstances were treated differently.

“The House regrets that ongoing programmes of the Presidential Amnesty Programme have, as attested to by critical stakeholders, suffered a huge setback as a consequence of the absence of an Acting Coordinator, and as such negatively impacted on the security situation in the Niger Delta region in no little way.

“The House is very worried that youths of the region are gradually resorting to unlawful means of agitation for the development of the region including militancy, a development that is capable of undermining the peace, security, order and good governance thus jeopardising already-gained mileage in institutionalizing an unencumbered economy of the nation.

“The House is concerned that should there be a fresh outbreak of heightened insecurity in the Niger Delta region, the security apparatus of our country will be avoidably stretched beyond measure,” he said.

To this end, the Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila mandated the House Committee on National Security to interface with relevant agencies of government in ensuring that a substantive Coordinator for the Presidential Amnesty Programme for the Niger Delta region is urgently appointed in order to douse the already-growing tension in the region.

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