COALITION of Niger Delta Ex-Agitators (NCNDEA) has praised the Interim Administrator of Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) Col. Milland Dixon Dikio for the prompt payment of stipends to ex-militants
NCNDEA’s National Coordinator Eshanekpe Israel (a.k.a Akpodoro), speaking in a statement in Abuja, said this had never happened since creation of the office.
Akpodoro, a frontline ex-militant leader and a staunch supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, noted that no coordinator of the programme had paid their stipends before month end.
The Urhobo-born ex-militant leader said early payment of stipends from the new management signified an “evolving new era” in the affairs of the office.
He said the National Security Adviser to the President, Babagana Monguno, deserved kudos for ensuring a new administration of the programme.
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Akpodoro, also coordinator of Urhobo Youth Forum for Change (UYFC), said before now ex-militants were owed as much as three months while top Amnesty officials live in affluence, noting “all of that will change with Dikio in the saddle.”
He called on President Buhari to probe the tenure of the last coordinator, Prof Charles Dokubo, under whom he noted PAP was brought to disrepute.
The coalition urged the interim administrator not to allow himself to be derailed by those he called hangers-on, who he noted, had been the banana peels of past managers of the scheme.
Akpodoro asked ex-militants to support the management and the Buhari administration, saying the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government would develop Niger Delta and the country.
He appealed to the Federal Government to round off activities of Niger Delta Development Commission’s (NDDC’s) Interim Management Committee (IMC) and swear in the Pius Odube-led board, which he said was duly screened by the Senate.
