Presidential Amnesty Programme: Dennis Otuaro’sBold Footprints

Waitobo Soweibo

It is tempting, very much so, to brand developments at the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) in the last 12 months as revolutionary. However, I refrain from doing so because the notable improvements have primarily come from refining existing processes and procedures rather than overhauling them. In an environment where new leaders often throw away the baby, the bathwater and the basin holding the water, Otuaro’s approach is counter-cultural.

In my assessment, the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) is experiencing an evolution rather than a revolution. This evolution is high-velocity, as it has yielded significant outcomes within just 12 months—some of which are unprecedented. These developments have helped maintain stability in the Niger Delta region, keeping it at room temperature instead of a cauldron of discontent. It could hardly have been otherwise. Dr. Dennis BrutuOtuaro, appointed Administrator of the PAP by President Bola Tinubu last March, came into office with a resume that reads activist, stakeholder, thinker, top-tier administrator and scholar.

Otuaro served on the Presidential Committee on the Environment for the Niger Delta during the Umar Yar’Adua administration. He also worked with the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), positions that provided him with a comprehensive understanding of the region’s challenges, the potential for combustion, and the strategies necessary to manage community tensions effectively.

His familiarity with the turf, through activism and stints at DESOPADEC and NDDC, conferred a natural advantage. This convinced him that a higher level of transparency was required for the PAP to run more smoothly. It led to the institution of data management reforms, which delivered hi-fi data within a few months after his appointment. The data reform process involved the verification of 12,467 beneficiary records. Among these, 783 records were identified as duplicated or incomplete. Additionally, the process resulted in the removal of 1,129 obsolete records and revealed hundreds of data discrepancies, including inconsistencies in financial records, which are currently being addressed. 

These efforts were accompanied by updates to the database, during which 9,253 records were revised to reflect graduations and the completion of training programmes. Additionally, 3,215 new beneficiaries were added. The operations of the PAP were further improved through inter-departmental collaborations that facilitated data sharing. Most importantly, the high level of accuracy achieved in data management has positively affected the overall goals of the PAP.

In the area of education, data reforms have allowed the PAP to effectively monitor and verify the enrollment of approximately 1,700 students receiving PAP scholarships across 69 institutions in the country. Notably, 53.3 per cent of these scholarship slots were awarded to females. Additionally, the revisions to the data have helped identify beneficiaries who have either withdrawn or absconded, resulting in significant savings for the PAP by preventing unnecessary payments for tuition and allowances.

The number of scholarship beneficiaries is at an all-time high in the history of the PAP, with no previous administration exceeding 500 beneficiaries at any given time. The PAP has paid N1.75 billion naira for onshore tuition and allowances in the last one year while attending six convocation ceremonies to celebrate graduates’ achievements.

A most impressive significant achievement of the Otuaroadministration is the revival of the overseas scholarship scheme, which now supports approximately 60 Niger Delta students studying at universities in countries such as the UK, USA, and Canada. This reintroduction of the scheme, previously suspended by earlier administrations, paves the way for Niger Delta youths to access world-class education and expertise necessary for transforming the region.

The commitment to university education may appear more prominent, but it is on par with the dedication to vocational education, particularly in the maritime and aviation sectors, where significant progress has been made. In the past year, 40 aircraft maintenance engineers who specialize in ERJ-145 and CRJ-900/B737 aircraft have been sent for training. An equal number is currently undergoing on-the-job training at top-tier organizations such as Seven Star Global Hangar and Aero Contractors Limited. Additionally, the PAP deployed four cadet pilots to South Africa for type-rating training. They have since graduated and returned to Nigeria.   

There has been a renewed focus on maritime training, which has seen revitalization. Currently, about 100 cadets are taking refresher courses at Joemarine Institute in Delta State to achieve their Officer of the Watch (OOW) certification.

While realizing that the various initiatives it has embarked on are crucial, the Otuaro administration also realized that without boots-on-the-ground interactions with stakeholders, the possibility of the region erupting in intemperate discontent remains. It was evident to the administration that there were circuits to wire and it was through direct stakeholder engagements. It moved timeously, energizing the PAP’s Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution (PBCR) and Strategic Management Department (SMD) to initiate comprehensive stakeholder engagement, which included interactive sessions with royal leaders, women leaders, and key figures from the eight states in the region.

Through various engagements, 100 out of 135 latent conflicts were resolved using Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). These included 20 cases of data inconsistencies and 65 cases related to the payment of monthly stipends. Additionally, potentially volatile situations in the camps of ex-agitators, such as Tallest Man Camp, Lagos Man Camp, and Alaye Camp, were also successfully addressed.

The Otuaro administration has significantly improved the communication and beneficiary support platforms of the PAP, contributing to stability in the Niger Delta region by facilitating the swift resolution of beneficiary issues. In 2024, the PAP’s call center received a total of 23,813 calls and documented 420 issues for resolution. Of these, 274 were related to stipend payments, 82 to training, and 47 to post-training support. Staff members at the communication and beneficiary support platforms underwent specialized training to enhance their skills in problem-solving, conflict management, and emotional intelligence.

The first year has been impressive, but there is still a long way to go, a fact that Otuaro is aware of. While his administration has received praise for strengthening the institutional capacity of the Presidential Amnesty Program (PAP) to lay a solid foundation for peace and sustainable development in the Niger Delta, Otuaro is committed to having PAP increase its emphasis on formal education and vocational training. This approach aims to help ex-agitators become self-sufficient and transition away from the N65,000 monthly stipends.

The Otuaro administration is finalizing an economic empowerment scheme for women in the Niger Delta, alongside a leadership training programme for ex-agitators and other key stakeholders. His administration has been commended by key stakeholders, including ex-agitators’ leaders such as Paul Eris (General Ogunboss), Bony Ayah (General Don Inikio), a member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly and Jonathan Lokpobiri, President, Ijaw Youth Congress, who know a thing or two about what it takes to achieve peace in the region.