N’Delta Group Seeks Increase Funding for Presidential Amnesty Programme

Sylvester Idowu in Warri

An advocacy group in the Niger Delta, South-South Reawakening Group (SSRG), has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to increase the funding of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, to enable it achieve set goals.

The group in a statement issued yesterday and signed by the Convener of SSRG, Joseph Ambadekerimo, said the plea became necessary because of the economic realities on ground, which had eroded the objectives for which the programme was initiated.

 It noted that innovation, new approach, and result oriented strategy that have been brought to the management of the Amnesty programme by General Barry Ndiomu (rtd) called for the increased funding of  the Presidential Amnesty Programme to further deepen the gains made so far.

According to SSRG in a statement, “Soliciting for more funding will equally strengthen the hands of the current leadership for purposes of maintaining the  peace in the region for businesses to continue to thrive and further bolster the economy of the country for its petrodollar.

“The purchasing power of the stipend of sixty -five thousand naira payment to beneficiaries of the programme have since been eroded by high inflation. This amount has been what was approved at the beginning when the Amnesty proclamation was made in 2007.

“This amount and many other very critical expenditures undertaken within the framework of managing the programme are enormous which the current inflationary trend has eroded. Our call for increased is predicated on the backdrop of the present economic realities on ground.”

The group noted that there has been tremendous successes recorded so far by the Amnesty Programme under the leadership of Ndiomu, some of which were the establishment of the Presidential Amnesty Cooperative Fund, which has been in operation at the moment with positive impact recorded and the management of the reintegration portion, which is the most critical part of the programme, has been applauded by stakeholders.

It also referred to the restructured and timely payment of beneficiaries scholarships fees in higher institutions, within and outside the country, even when tuition fees have astronomically gone up, the continued training of participants in core areas of needs to acquire skills, personal mentorship in form of father-son relationships and many other achievements made in a short period has reduced tension in the region, adding: “All of these capital expenditures captured have gone up and are still been executed within the previous budgetary allocations.”

SSRG recalled that the issues that gave birth to the Amnesty programme still stare the country in the face, stressing that: “Although the very critical issue of armed struggle has been eliminated, many demobilised persons have earned various skills and others have become graduates in diverse fields of endeavour.

“In view of the foregoing, we fervently appeal to President Bola Tinubu to critically look at the justification for the demand and make necessary considerations to further help keep the peace in the region.”