•Delta seeks more role for states on oil resources
• Ex-militant leaders divided over Jonathan
UNEMPLOYED youths and women in the Niger Delta have been warned to desist from continuous agitation for inclusion in the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) as the special intervention by the Federal Government would end in 2015.
Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta who is also the Chairman of PAP, Kinsley Kuku, who stated this at a parley with journalists at the weekend, decried the continuous agitation by youths using tactics such as blocking highways and coming to protest in Abuja.
“As one of the planners of this amnesty programme, I cannot kill the truth that it will terminate in 2015,” he said.
He said the clarification became necessary following reports of receipt of fresh arms and ammunition from youths in the Niger Delta by the Joint Task Force (JTF) and other security agencies, stressing that this gives an impression of an unending amnesty programme.
According to him, after the second phase of the amnesty programme in October 2010 that led to the inclusion of 6,166 former militants, bringing the total to 26,3548, the JTF and other security agencies have come up with additional names of 3,642 ex-agitators for inclusion.
He disclosed that the Federal Government has set up a panel, led by Air Vice Marshal Gbun, to verify the claims, pledging that if found to be true, the arms and ammunition submitted by the fresh set of ex-militants would be taken to Enugu for destruction, and they would be included and “as far as Mr. President is concerned, that would be the final.”
Kuku emphasised that the PAP was not a platform to engage unemployed youths, and called on governors of states in the region, which he noted have benefited immensely in terms of federal allocation to be up to their duty of creating employment.
Meanwhile, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has advocated more roles for states and communities in oil and gas exploration and management, which he said, have been controlled the Federal Government since 1969 with the promulgation of the Petroleum decree which took away their rights to the minerals produced in their territories and placed it under the exclusive control of the centre.
The Delta State governor, represented by his deputy, Amos Utuama, spoke at the opening of an Oil and Gas Industry Stakeholders Conference in Effurun at the weekend. He stated that the Federal Government did not cede any role or responsibilities with direct benefit to the states but instead established agencies, institutions and businesses to “take and spend profits from the industry.”
Also, a group, Anioma Youth Forum (AYF), has berated those calling for the resignation of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe.
A joint statement by Felix Ifejiokwu and Barth Ozah, the President and Secretary, after a meeting in Asaba at the weekend passed a vote of confidence on Orubebe and labelled his detractors as enemies of the Presidency who are pursuing their selfish interest.
Ifejiokwu and Ozah said that the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs has through its youth empowerment programmes and activities won the confidence of the region and greatly reduced militancy in the area.
They said that the prevailing peace in the region has led to the increase and uninterrupted oil production and subsequently increase in the revenue for the country.
And the intrigues preceding the 2015 presidential election continued over the weekend with strong indications of the splitting of the ranks of the leadership of the defunct Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND).
In the past three weeks, Asari Dokubo, Ebikabowei Victor-Ben (Boyloaf), Ateke Tom and Pastor Rueben have expressed misgivings about the reported aspiration of President Jonathan to seek re-election in 2015, saying the President has done little or nothing to desire a re-run in the next presidential election.
They have equally called on the President to ease out some of his ministers, particularly Orubebe and his Petroleum Ministry counterpart, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, accusing them of incompetence and poor performance.
There have been reports too that, piqued by the development, the Presidency was said to be making efforts to reach out to them to sheath their sword.
But one of the key commanders of the defunct MEND in its dreadful days, Chief Bibopiri Ajube, alias General Shoot-at-Sight, warned government not to succumb to the blackmail by his ‘compatriots’, alleging that the comments of the ex-militant leaders were borne out of ‘failed expectations’.
Ajube, who was reportedly the operations leader of MEND, in a statement said: ‘Asari, Boyloaf, Ateke and others have lost the goodwill and character expected of leaders of freedom fighters’.
The statement said: “I am particularly amazed at some media reports to the effect that certain leaders of ex-freedom fighters have now resorted to smear campaign in the media against some targetted officials of the Federal Government, including Mr. President.
“In all honesty, I do not hold brief for such government officials, however, as a matter of morality and conscience, it behoves on me to put the records in proper perspective.”
He said some either deliberately inflated the actual number of disarmed youths under them or shamelessly defrauded such youths in connivance with some bank officials by deducting from source illegal sums from the meagre monthly N65,000 stipend.
Ajube added: “Today, it is either that the boys feel cheated and vent their anger on the ordinary Niger Deltan, thereby heightening insecurity in the region or they have confronted most of these their leaders mentioned above to the extent they no longer go to their respective communities. The noise about third phase amnesty is the consequence of this unfortunate development.
“As if this is not painful enough, these compatriots of mine also later became beneficiaries of the NNPC pipeline security contract. The idea of the deal was, as still remains, that all such jobless youths who did not partake in the amnesty programme be meaningfully engaged.
“It is therefore very sad that people like Asari Dokubo, Farah, Ateke and Boyloaf decided to show the failed side of leadership in this noble direction because in spite of the millions of naira paid to them by the NNPC, they refused to justify the huge payments. They are the least qualified to label anyone as fraudulent and non-performing as they have done in the past few weeks.
“I submit that not only must they account for the huge sums given to them for job not done, the FG should not renew the pipeline security contracts given to them because the contrary (renewal) can only send a dangerous signal of indulgence of corruption by the FG.
“In all these, I can also deduce their preparedness to act any script written by anybody to blackmail Mr. President ahead of 2015. But at the risk of being immodest, only men of character, goodwill, integrity and sense of purposefulness across the nation and not Asari and others who have lost all these, can decide President Jonathan’s fate should he decides to run in 2015.”
• Ex-militant leaders divided over Jonathan
UNEMPLOYED youths and women in the Niger Delta have been warned to desist from continuous agitation for inclusion in the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) as the special intervention by the Federal Government would end in 2015.
Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta who is also the Chairman of PAP, Kinsley Kuku, who stated this at a parley with journalists at the weekend, decried the continuous agitation by youths using tactics such as blocking highways and coming to protest in Abuja.
“As one of the planners of this amnesty programme, I cannot kill the truth that it will terminate in 2015,” he said.
He said the clarification became necessary following reports of receipt of fresh arms and ammunition from youths in the Niger Delta by the Joint Task Force (JTF) and other security agencies, stressing that this gives an impression of an unending amnesty programme.
According to him, after the second phase of the amnesty programme in October 2010 that led to the inclusion of 6,166 former militants, bringing the total to 26,3548, the JTF and other security agencies have come up with additional names of 3,642 ex-agitators for inclusion.
He disclosed that the Federal Government has set up a panel, led by Air Vice Marshal Gbun, to verify the claims, pledging that if found to be true, the arms and ammunition submitted by the fresh set of ex-militants would be taken to Enugu for destruction, and they would be included and “as far as Mr. President is concerned, that would be the final.”
Kuku emphasised that the PAP was not a platform to engage unemployed youths, and called on governors of states in the region, which he noted have benefited immensely in terms of federal allocation to be up to their duty of creating employment.
Meanwhile, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has advocated more roles for states and communities in oil and gas exploration and management, which he said, have been controlled the Federal Government since 1969 with the promulgation of the Petroleum decree which took away their rights to the minerals produced in their territories and placed it under the exclusive control of the centre.
The Delta State governor, represented by his deputy, Amos Utuama, spoke at the opening of an Oil and Gas Industry Stakeholders Conference in Effurun at the weekend. He stated that the Federal Government did not cede any role or responsibilities with direct benefit to the states but instead established agencies, institutions and businesses to “take and spend profits from the industry.”
Also, a group, Anioma Youth Forum (AYF), has berated those calling for the resignation of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe.
A joint statement by Felix Ifejiokwu and Barth Ozah, the President and Secretary, after a meeting in Asaba at the weekend passed a vote of confidence on Orubebe and labelled his detractors as enemies of the Presidency who are pursuing their selfish interest.
Ifejiokwu and Ozah said that the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs has through its youth empowerment programmes and activities won the confidence of the region and greatly reduced militancy in the area.
They said that the prevailing peace in the region has led to the increase and uninterrupted oil production and subsequently increase in the revenue for the country.
And the intrigues preceding the 2015 presidential election continued over the weekend with strong indications of the splitting of the ranks of the leadership of the defunct Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND).
In the past three weeks, Asari Dokubo, Ebikabowei Victor-Ben (Boyloaf), Ateke Tom and Pastor Rueben have expressed misgivings about the reported aspiration of President Jonathan to seek re-election in 2015, saying the President has done little or nothing to desire a re-run in the next presidential election.
They have equally called on the President to ease out some of his ministers, particularly Orubebe and his Petroleum Ministry counterpart, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, accusing them of incompetence and poor performance.
There have been reports too that, piqued by the development, the Presidency was said to be making efforts to reach out to them to sheath their sword.
But one of the key commanders of the defunct MEND in its dreadful days, Chief Bibopiri Ajube, alias General Shoot-at-Sight, warned government not to succumb to the blackmail by his ‘compatriots’, alleging that the comments of the ex-militant leaders were borne out of ‘failed expectations’.
Ajube, who was reportedly the operations leader of MEND, in a statement said: ‘Asari, Boyloaf, Ateke and others have lost the goodwill and character expected of leaders of freedom fighters’.
The statement said: “I am particularly amazed at some media reports to the effect that certain leaders of ex-freedom fighters have now resorted to smear campaign in the media against some targetted officials of the Federal Government, including Mr. President.
“In all honesty, I do not hold brief for such government officials, however, as a matter of morality and conscience, it behoves on me to put the records in proper perspective.”
He said some either deliberately inflated the actual number of disarmed youths under them or shamelessly defrauded such youths in connivance with some bank officials by deducting from source illegal sums from the meagre monthly N65,000 stipend.
Ajube added: “Today, it is either that the boys feel cheated and vent their anger on the ordinary Niger Deltan, thereby heightening insecurity in the region or they have confronted most of these their leaders mentioned above to the extent they no longer go to their respective communities. The noise about third phase amnesty is the consequence of this unfortunate development.
“As if this is not painful enough, these compatriots of mine also later became beneficiaries of the NNPC pipeline security contract. The idea of the deal was, as still remains, that all such jobless youths who did not partake in the amnesty programme be meaningfully engaged.
“It is therefore very sad that people like Asari Dokubo, Farah, Ateke and Boyloaf decided to show the failed side of leadership in this noble direction because in spite of the millions of naira paid to them by the NNPC, they refused to justify the huge payments. They are the least qualified to label anyone as fraudulent and non-performing as they have done in the past few weeks.
“I submit that not only must they account for the huge sums given to them for job not done, the FG should not renew the pipeline security contracts given to them because the contrary (renewal) can only send a dangerous signal of indulgence of corruption by the FG.
“In all these, I can also deduce their preparedness to act any script written by anybody to blackmail Mr. President ahead of 2015. But at the risk of being immodest, only men of character, goodwill, integrity and sense of purposefulness across the nation and not Asari and others who have lost all these, can decide President Jonathan’s fate should he decides to run in 2015.”
what chif ajube is tuking is the trut becouse ever since the beging of anmesty till now ,fara and ateke are not paying us what they suposege to pay .is ether pay eney amout they like or they will not pay atul.we in river steta are pledind that the ferdal govrnmrnt should du something befor it too late. we are not happy with the fedral government becouse they know farah and ateke are not paying us and the fedral government refuse to lessing to us. i want the fedral government to know ,we are not benefiting from the amnesty. we want the fedral government to pay the mouthly alawasis should be paid in our account in which they ask us to open in obubra.if the fedral government want to stop the amnesty in a year 2015 they should pay the mounthtly alawances in our acount so that there will be no problem.we are looking forward to hear from the amnesty office.thanks for your coperation.
ReplyDeletei which to say that fedral government should atend to the people in river state becouse rihgt from the beging of this amnesty program,people are complaing that they are not paying as they supose.I want to say wihtout any fear of contradeting that what commader atekr,farah and boylof are doing to there boys is not good.I am pleding on be aff of them that ,the pesinal adversal to ,mr pesident of naija delta amnesty.hon, kinsly kuku to pay the boys as they are doing in other states.the boys are not happy becouse what they supose to benefit from is amnesty program some leders in river state are not alowing them.we all know that the amnesty program is going to end in the year 2015 but till now there is no payment going on in there acounrt which they ask them to open in obubra.but up till now nothing is going on.i want to say that ,hon kinsly kuku should pay the boys in there acounrt not the ledera acounrt any more.if they do so ,there is going to be peces in naija delta.
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