ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
Ex-Niger Delta agitators have thanked the Interim Administrator of Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Col. Milland Dikio (rtd.), for demonstrating enough capacity and courage in the reformation of policies and programmes of the scheme.
The National Chairman, Third Phase Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Comrade Tonye Bobo, gave the commendation on Wednesday at a news conference in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital.
Bobo said Dikio’s ‘train, employ, and mentor model’, which he introduced to the programme by deploying over 400 delegates to Bradama International, Agadaba, Ondo State, had transformed the lives of many ex-agitators.
The ex-militant leader particularly commended Dikio’s efforts on deploying students to various reputable tertiary institutions across the country and abroad.
He said: “We therefore urge Dikio to remain focused on his fundamental objectives of repositioning the programme and making lives meaningful for the delegates.
“We equally eulogise Dikio in the area of entrepreneurship development which enables beneficiaries to access loans from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in partnership with NIRSAL/AGSMEIS.”
He noted that it was indeed not a mere coincidence that Dikio had been blazing the trail since his assumption of office by repositioning PAP, saying that the action had greatly impacted the delegates in many positive ways.
He, therefore, called on the youths in the region to take advantage of the various opportunities provided by PAP and shun acts inimical to growth and development of the region.
Bobo also called on multi-national oil companies to leverage the existing peaceful atmosphere in the region by improving the socio-economic lives of the people as well as improving their corporate social responsibility (CSR) to host communities.
He said the existing peace and security being enjoyed in the region which had boosted investors’ confidence came as a result of regular stakeholders’ meetings by the PAP boss involving ex-agitators, traditional rulers, government, security agencies and impacted communities.
He also commended Dikio for ensuring the timely payment of the monthly stipends to the beneficiaries, a development he said had calmed frayed nerves and discouraged restiveness among the youths.