Amnesty Programme Will Transform N’Delta, Says FG

Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja

The federal government has expressed optimism that new policies and objectives for the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) under the watch of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, Prof. Charles Dokubo will transform the Niger Delta region.

Dokubo, however, cautioned that the programme cannot effectively serve its purpose if the people of the Niger Delta are not bonded by a common interest to develop the region.

His media aide, Mr. Murphy Ganagana in a statement disclosed that Dokubo spoke in Abuja when a delegation of the South-south Chiefs, Elders and Opinion Leaders Association of Nigeria (SSCEOLAN) paid him a courtesy visit.
Dokubo, who is also the PAP Coordinator said the region would attain giant strides if the people can positively utilise the instrumentality of the programme provided by the federal government.

“When the federal government brought this programme where we are training our people and sending them abroad, they did it because it is a necessary action. So, we are going to carry out this programme in an all-inclusive manner.
“Wherever you are from the Niger Delta, you must be part of this programme. I’m here to carry out what I call reintegration, training, retraining and bringing out Niger Delta people so that they can be as qualified as any other person in Nigeria,” he said.

While expressing dismay over what he described as pull-him-down syndrome prevalent among the people of Niger Delta, Dokubo urged them to be united and work for a common goal.
“I cannot claim to know everything, but I also know that with your experience you can always direct me on the right path so that we can do things the right way. I came into this place not to criticize anyone but to start from where I was appointed.

“What I met here is not what I’m here to talk about, but we are all from the Niger delta. Our idea of pulling down people is too much, and I will not be part of that. For me, where I want Niger Delta people to look into is how we can use this office to benefit our people.
“It is not about personal gains; it is about community development. Let us stop agonizing and start organising, because if we do that, we will help ourselves,” Dokubo
said.