The national chairman of ex-agitators under Phase 2 of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Ibena Rufus Salvation, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for transforming the lives of more Niger Delta youths through education, skills acquisition, and entrepreneurship.
Speaking during a meeting in Yenagoa, Salvation said the president has brought progress, peace, and stability to the Niger Delta region through a renewed commitment to the Presidential Amnesty Programme.
He noted that the region, which contributes significantly to Nigeria’s economy, is now witnessing a revival of investment and attention under the Tinubu administration.
He said, “Since its inception, the Presidential Amnesty Programme has been a bridge between agitation and peace, between arms struggle and goodwill, between our past pains and future promise. Many of us seated here were part of that struggle, we bore the scars. But we also embraced the olive branch. Today, many have become graduates, skilled professionals, entrepreneurs, and agents of peace. This is no small feat.”
Salvation praised the leadership of the PAP Administrator, Dr Dennis Burutu Otuaro, under whose direction, he said, the programme has gained momentum in education, reintegration, capacity building, and skill development.
He added, “Under this current administration, led by a listening President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and a responsive PAP Administrator, Dr. Dennis Burutu Otuaro, we are witnessing a new energy, a fresh commitment to the Niger Delta. From skill development to education, from reintegration to capacity building; yes, we are moving forward.”
Highlighting the region’s economic significance, he said, “The Niger Delta is not a beggar. We are contributors. We are the economic heartbeat of Nigeria. Therefore, our region deserves not just peace, but prosperity; not just attention, but investment. President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda gives us a pathway. We are not outsiders to this national vision, we are key players in it.”
Salvation also commended the efforts of Tantita Security Services in protecting oil and gas assets, describing it as a homegrown initiative with proven capacity and patriotism.
He stated, “Tantita is not just a contractor; it is a movement. A homegrown force with deep knowledge of the creeks and a patriotic heart for this nation. As ex-agitators, we must align with and support this vision. This is not the time for division, it is the time for consolidation.”
The ex-agitator leader further called for a special intervention fund for PAP outside the Treasury Single Account (TSA), to enable timely responses to emerging security and development needs in the region.
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According to him, “This programme, this Presidential Amnesty Office, is not just a desk. It is a front-line national security operation. Emergencies do not wait for bureaucracy. We therefore appeal for a special intervention fund outside the TSA, to allow PAP respond to urgent realities.”
He also urged the federal government to exempt both PAP and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) from the TSA system, similar to the operational model of the Federal Capital Territory Ministry.
He said, “We believe that giving PAP and NDDC the same financial flexibility will enable them to function more effectively.”
Salvation concluded by appealing for stronger collaboration between PAP and Tantita Security Services to combat oil theft and economic sabotage in the Niger Delta.
He said, “We strongly urge the federal government to empower PAP to collaborate more directly and strategically with Tantita Security Services. The synergy will save the nation billions in oil theft and sabotage.”
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