N/Delta Ex-Militants Raise Concerns Over Welfare 17 Years After Amnesty

The first phase beneficiary of the federal government’s Presidential Amnesty Programme have decried neglect and abandonment 17 years after they surrendered arms to embrace peace in Niger Delta region for the betterment of the country’s economy. The Niger Delta ex-agitators under the auspices of Core Advocate for Genuine Change and Peace Initiative, told newsmen in […]

The first phase beneficiary of the federal government’s Presidential Amnesty Programme have decried neglect and abandonment 17 years after they surrendered arms to embrace peace in Niger Delta region for the betterment of the country’s economy.

The Niger Delta ex-agitators under the auspices of Core Advocate for Genuine Change and Peace Initiative, told newsmen in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, on Tuesday, that most of the members have died due to neglect from the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), established to coordinate their activities.

The chairman of first phase amnesty beneficiaries in Bayelsa State, Cornel Jacob Brave Obekuma, lamented that the management of Presidential Amnesty Programme have not been carrying them along in training opportunities and other opportunities in the scheme.

He said between last year and early this year, eight of it members died because they could not afford their medical treatment, and the poverty they are going through.

He said: “First of all, we commend President Bola Tinubu, for the proper funding of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, to continue to sustain the peace in Niger Delta region, we also plead the Coordinator, Dr. Dennis Otuaro, to look into the first phase of Niger Delta freedom fighters, he should use his good office to review the Niger Delta freedom fighters, the first phase.

“I can see the wretchedness
of the Niger Delta freedom fighters, a lot of our leaders who surrendered arms have died because there is no empowerment for us, we are struggling to take care of our needs.

“Even the leadership training that is coming up, 85 percent of us have never attended it, and we are still maintaining that peace accord we signed with the federal government, for 17 years, we have been in this poverty, complaining, we are living without direction, some of them have died because of depression, is this how to reward us for the commitment we made for peace in Nigeria? And for the economic book of this nation?

“The crude oil and pipelines that bring money to this country are situated in our Communities, our people suffered pollution, but not much is done for us that came together and say let there be peace.

“Last year and this year, we have buried up to eight or nine leaders in the first phase amnesty programe, and the current coordinator of the amnesty programe is the product of this struggle, so, we want him to review the system of the first phase Niger Delta freedom fighters, he supposed to know that we are the people that brought this programme to being.

“Sadly, we are suffering to this level, the oil companies in our rural communities, no one is doing empowerment, we cannot continue to fight.”