The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dennis Otuaro, has urged ex-agitators enrolled in the programme to avoid anything that is inimical to peace and security in the Niger Delta.
Otuaro urged them to promote peace and security in the oil rich region, emphasizing the importance of avoiding actions that could undermine the objectives of the Pap.
The Administrator made this charge at a stakeholders’ meeting with former agitators in Warri, Delta State, on Saturday with the theme: “Fostering, Consolidating, and Collaborating for the Peace, Security, Stability, and Development of the Niger Delta.”
The Special Assistant on Media, Igoniko Oduma said in a statement on Sunday that participants at the meeting included leaders from all phases of the Presidential Amnesty Programme.
Otuaro stressed that all stakeholders in the region must work towards this goal and consolidate the success of the Amnesty Programme to prevent the Niger Delta from relapsing into the pre-amnesty years of serious conflicts and violence, which negatively impacted the region and the country.
“Sustaining the peace and security of the Niger Delta is the mandate of the Amnesty Programme, and we must do this for our communities, our children, and their children,” Otuaro said.
The Presidential Amnesty Programme was established in 2009 to disarm, demobilize, and reintegrate former Niger Delta agitators. The first two phases of the programme have been completed, with the Amnesty Office now tasked with the reintegration of former agitators into the society and providing institutional support for impacted communities in the Niger Delta.
Otuaro stated that the PAP was an opportunity for the people of the region which, if well leveraged, could help to resolve some of the challenges of the Niger Delta, especially human capital development.
He urged the stakeholders not to worry, as he had assurances from President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu that the Federal Government would prioritize the development of the Niger Delta.
“The President is very serious about the peace and security of the Niger Delta region,” he said.
Otuaro affirmed that despite its lean budget, the PAP has made significant achievements. “Many delegates and beneficiaries from our impacted communities have received quality training and high-level manpower skills in diverse fields of human endeavours,” he stated.
