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… Seek ‘Inclusion in Empowerment Program’
By Amos Odeh, Yenagoa
Niger Delta ex-militants, under the aegis of the third phase of the Presidential Amnesty Program, have commended the PAP office, especially the interim administrator, Col Milland Dixon Dikio rtd, for introducing “sensitive policies and innovations which the delegates have keyed into.”
They said the vision the PAP interim administrator has introduced has led ex-agitators to desist from protests and blocking of federal roads.
Acting national secretary of the Third phase of ex-agitators, Elaye Slaboh, who was flanked by the state chairman of the Third phase, Oscar Jackson, spoke to journalists after an exhaustive and enlarged meeting of delegates and stakeholders in Yenagoa.
According to them, ex-militants have all stopped blocking federal roads, as well as incessant protests, which has given the region bad name, and keyed into the new vision of the interim administrator.
Slaboh and Jackson further commended Col Dikio rtd for the agency’s partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria which gave the ex-militants the privilege to access loans with which they can become self-reliant, as well as entrepreneurs, reminding the PAP administrator that being pioneer delegates, the program has benefited them immensely and transformed their lives.
“If peradventure the program has kicked-off in December, 2021 the third phase, with 800 persons to be empowered with N3 million each, and who are pioneers, ought to be given utmost priority as beneficiaries to show transparency and eliminate suspicion in what PAP is doing”
They noted that three weeks ago at a meeting in Akwa Ibom, they were given assurance that very soon they will be called as they are in the last phase of the process for the NIRSAL loan, adding that as yet, “nothing is happening,” and they are worried.
“PAP invited 60 persons for workshop and training in Yenagoa as ‘pilot program,’ where some of us were excluded. Our fear is that if PAP doesn’t put us in the first batch, some of our followers may decide to go different directions of the things we have stopped, we are gradually losing faith”
They appealed to the PAP interim administrator, Col Milland Dikio rtd, to treat them all equally and like his children that has been transformed by including them in the first phase of the beneficiaries of the Amnesty and NIRSAL CBN partnership loan.
On whether they felt betrayed, they said “the system has just started and it is transparent. However, our fear is that we have a lot of followers and if we are not considered in the first batch a lot of people will think the office is not sincere with us”
They therefore appealed to the delegates to be calm and not take laws into their hands.
They also stated that Christmas is around the corner as most of them with existing farms and agro-allied ventures need empowerment to meet up their expectations and demands from their families.
