KEY POINTS
- President Tinubu approved an increased budget for the Presidential Amnesty Program.
- The revised budget aims to accommodate more stakeholders, including women, in the Niger Delta.
- Youth leaders stressed the importance of maintaining peace and avoiding protests to attract investments.
President Bola Tinubu has approved an upward review of the Presidential Amnesty Program (PAP) budget to accommodate more stakeholders, including previously excluded groups such as women.
The announcement was made by Dr. Dennis Otuaro, Administrator of the Amnesty Program, during a stakeholders’ meeting held in Warri, Delta State, on Friday.
The meeting, attended by youths and former militants from the Niger Delta, witnessed a positive response from attendees, as they welcomed the news of increased funding.
The initiative is part of efforts to resolve long-standing issues with PAP beneficiaries and to expand the scope of the program to support a broader range of people in the region.
Support for Niger Delta development
Otuaro reiterated that, despite Nigeria’s current economic challenges, President Tinubu is dedicated to increasing funding for the program and advancing development projects in the Niger Delta, such as the Rast-West Road.
According to Punch, he urged youths in the region to continue supporting the government and avoid being swayed by rumors of protests.
“The President has goodwill towards the development of the Niger Delta. He is serious about it, and the Rast-West Road contract has been re-awarded to a Chinese firm. By the grace of God, work will commence soon,” said Otuaro.
He also appealed to the youths to maintain peace in the region, emphasizing that protests have historically caused harm to the Niger Delta by scaring away investors.
“We must all endeavor to keep the Niger Delta peaceful. Protests have done us no good in the past but have driven investors away. It is time we played our role to ensure a peaceful process continues, attracting investments to the region,” he added.
Vocational training and renewed support
Otuaro disclosed that the Presidential Amnesty Program is working on reviewing its vocational training initiatives to encompass more areas of infrastructural and human development, aiming to improve skills and opportunities for the youths in the Niger Delta.
Stakeholders present at the meeting voiced their support for the Federal Government’s efforts to uplift the region. Many emphasized that they would not allow themselves to be used for anti-government protests, particularly against calls for demonstrations on October 1.
Emperor Joseph, a representative of the human rights community, noted that those calling for the protest were faceless and did not represent the interests of the people of the Niger Delta.
Meanwhile, the pioneer President of the Ijaw Youth Council, T.K. Ogoriba, encouraged solidarity with the Presidential Amnesty Program, stating that sustaining peace would result in even more development for the region.
Other youth leaders echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the importance of working together to foster a stable environment for growth and investment.
