From Godwin Chukwuedozie, Yenagoa
The Movement for the Survival of Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta, MOSIEND, has called on the National Security Adviser to the President, Nuhu Ribadu, to reconcile the errors in the records of the Presidential Amnesty Programme which has resulted in the delisting of some ex-agitators and now turning them against retired Major General Barry Ndiomu, the Interim Administrator.
The National President of MOSIEND, Kennedy Tonjo-West made this call while reacting to the alleged maltreatment of an ex-agitator, Pere Ebidowei from Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, who was said to have been beaten by soldiers at the Presidential Amnesty office in Abuja.
Tonjo-West said it would be better for the Presidential Amnesty register to be sanitized so that those receiving multiple salaries would now be receiving only one salary; maintaining that this will stop the incessant demonstrations against the Interim Administrator.
While frowning at the alleged maltreatment of the ex-agitator, West also advised ex-militants and other stakeholders to be diplomatic and always follow due process; saying that being a Niger Deltan is not a yardstick for one to disobey constituted authority or go about challenges military men discharging their duties.
He condemned the manner the news was reported in some quarters wherein the Interim Administrator, Barry Ndiomu, was being blamed for what transpired in his absence, and even going as far as misinforming the public that Mr. Pere Ebidowei was beaten to death – all in a bid to cause panic and rubbish the IA who is also a son of the Niger Delta.
The MOSIEND president attributed these horrible events at the Presidential Amnesty office to poor funding of the programme; saying that, right from the time of Kingsley Kuku, the budget of the PAP has not been reviewed upward, despite inflation in the prices of goods and services.
He advised the NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, to look critically at these issues, saying that it is about time the budget of the Amnesty Programme was reviewed to meet present realities of Nigeria and the world.
He said delisting these ex-agitators for inconsistencies on the part of the Presidential Amnesty Programme will cause frustration on the beneficiaries and force them to go into kidnapping, armed robbery, sea-piracy, pipeline vandalism, oil theft, cultism and other vices which may have adverse effects on the people of the Niger Delta – both economically and otherwise.
“I want to call on the National Security Adviser to reposition the programme to work by reintroducing the Presidential Amnesty Committee PAC confirming Maj Gen Barry Tariye Ndiomu as the chairman, recall that the programme from the outset was stakeholders driving, and for no genuine reason other members of the committee was dropped making it look like a one man affair and that is where the errors set in hence, the only way Mr Nuhu Ribadu can get it right is to return it to its original status, also see to the immediate upgrade review through a supplementary budget which we know President Tinubu will not object to as a president who understands,.
“Of cause it was absurd to run the programme with the budget that was prepared by Hon Dr Kingsley Kuku nine years ago, which is largely responsible for problems the programme is facing no thanks to Maj Gen Mungunu fmr NSA who out of desperation to shut down the programme was blind to see the havoc wrecked on the programme,” MOSIEND National President stated.
