Niger Delta ex-agitators, opinion leaders and traditional rulers, have vowed to work and support the Dr. Dennis Otuaro led administration of the Presidential Amnesty Programme(PAP).
They strongly believe that he is going to change the narrative of the PAP because he has been part of the struggle from the beginning and understands the pains of the ex-agitators and the delegates of PAP.
Their confidence to support and work with him became stronger with his approach and response during the first meeting he had with the First Phase ex-agitators leadership in Delta State on the 21st of June 2024. The critical stakeholders, who met in Delta State, warned those they referred to as crisis merchants in the Niger Delta region.
“We will not allow this political grabbers to frustrate the activities of Dr. Dennis Otuaro and his administration,” they affirmed.Â
Speaking at the meeting, the National Chairman of First Phase Ex-Agitators, HRH Henry Binidodougha, appealed to President Bola Tinubu to “call these selfish politicians to order and allow Dr. Otuaro to implement the outlined visions for the ex-agitators and Niger Delta region.”
He said already the positive impacts of Dr. Otuaro and his team were being felt across the region including the grassroots with some of their thoughtful and people-oriented projects such as the ongoing scholarship program for delegates of the program.
HRH Binidodougha stressed that “Dr. Otuaro has shown his undying passion for the empowerment of the Niger Delta ex-freedom fighters and the implementation of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda through continuing the PAP program, which the the last administration wanted to terminate when the Niger Delta region was yet to experience the expected economic recovery and infrastructural development.Â
“The ex-freedom fighters have not been properly reintegrated. We believe the legacy project of award of scholarships to the beneficiaries of the PAP will go a long way in preparing our youths for their future. Education is a major factor when it comes to the development of any country and her citizens.”
He said: “The PAP is the only active agency we have in the region that focuses on the youths and the security of the region. The PAP is supposed to collaborate with the Ministry of Petroleum, the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC), the Ministry of Environment and Ecological Fund to ensure that the Niger Delta is developed.Â
“But this collaborations are not happening and the pressure is now on PAP. Recently the PAP flagged off a project that has to do with promoting the education of our people, especially the ex-agitators and impacted communities in the Niger Delta and we can see the effectiveness of this project.
“Our people will enjoy great support of going to school through this scholarship program of the PAP under Dr. Otuaro leadership. We want to draw the attention of Mr. President regarding political tussles in PAP. Some politicians want to use some people, who don’t have the interest of the region to disrupt the administration of Dr. Otuaro and frustrate all the plans he has laid down for the ex-agitators and the delegates of the PAP.”
Going further, he charged President Tinubu to step in and stop all political interferences in the PAP to end the era of changing of the leadership of the PAP at will.
He said: “We want to tell the President that abrupt changing of the PAP leadership is to our detriment. That whenever an administrator is appointed and he is not allowed to implement the vision he had outlined it affects the totality of the Programme. As stakeholders this has limited our ability to question them and to hold them accountable for not performing.”
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