A Niger Delta group, known as the Coalition of Niger Delta Civil Society Groups on Wednesday passed a vote of confidence on the interim administrator at the Niger Delta Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP).
The group, which cut across the entire Niger Delta States in Nigeria, made the disclosure at a press briefing in Akure, the Ondo State Capital.
The group led by the Coordinator, Bunawari Famous Doso, also called on the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, to appoint PAP interim administrator, Major General Barry Ndiomu (rtd), as a substantive head or special adviser.
According to Doso, the PAP was on the brink of precipice before the appointment of Ndiomu, who he said has revolutionised the amnesty programme.
“Coming from an era where the entitlements and welfare of beneficiaries of the PAP projects were bastardised on the altar of selfish interest and personal aggrandizement, General Ndiomu came like a Messiah we have all been waiting for to liberate our people from bondage who seems to be too powerful to be questioned or probed on grounds of abuse of office for personal gains.
“He shared in our people’s yearning and aspirations and gave accelerated directives on the payment of outstanding entitlements of our people which some individuals deliberately withheld for reasons best known to them for more than 3 years,” Doso explained.
The group coordinator reiterated the need for the people of the Niger Delta to rally round the adminstration of Rtd General Ndiomu, whom he believed has stabilize the amnesty programme.
“For us, this is the first time in the history of the scheme that an Interim Administrator is ready to relate with his people by setting no boundaries which observers have pointed out as one of the killers of cordial relationship between a leader and his followers.
“General Ndiomu has done excellently well, and that is why we are all gathered here to coordinate this press conference with our own resources, and I’m sure he will be surprised to see this media endorsement we have carefully coordinated. What matters more to us is the continuation of these giant strides. We call on the incoming Administration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to retain this man who has taken public service as indeed a call to service and he will make sure he continues to fight corruption and make the PAP saner. We cannot afford to have a halt in the progress of the current transformation that is greeting this programme, rather we need to advance the course of the programme,” he said.
Other top members of the group who graced the press briefing are the Secretary, Seidougha Ofoyeju; and Publicity Secretary, James Tam.
More pictures from the event:
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