Ex-agitator Applauds Otuaro For Repositioning PAP

 

The National Vice Chairman of Phase Three, Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP)  Alhaji Letugbene has lauded the effort of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) Administrator, Dr. Dennis Otuaro at repositioning the programme for optimal performance.

Speaking on Tuesday in Yenagoa during Niger Delta Youth parley, Letugbene maintained that Dr Otuaro has accomplished a lot since his appointment by President Bola Tinubu.

He cited one of his achievements  as the regular payment of stipends, skill acquisition training, education scholarship among others  describing Otuaro as a seasoned technocrat and astute administrator with a remarkable record of success in public service.

 He also commended President Bola  Tinubu for appointing the Amnesty boss, whom he said  is well known and highly revered for his innovative, pragmatic and charismatic leadership style.

He said that   the allegations of misappropriation of N50Billion  award of contracts to defunct companies and money laundering leveled against the Amnesty boss in a petition by the Niger Delta Liberators and Ex-agitators Forum to the Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is not only false and unsubstantiated, but  aimed at distracting him from his assignment.

Alhaji Letugbene claimed that the convener of the group, Comrade Odey Otunu, who is not a beneficiary of the Amnesty Programme, was  being used by the cabal that once held sway at the Amnesty Office, emphasizing that "their grouse is that upon his appointment, Dr Otuaro blocked all leakages which they benefitted from and channeled  the funds to the welfare of beneficiaries.

The Bayelsa youth leader also lampooned Comrade Otunu for not doing due diligence in getting the facts about the Amnesty Office in line with the Freedom.of Information (FOI) Act, saying just last year, an external auditor gave thumbs up to the Otuaro-led administration for prudent management of PAP funds, accountability and transparency.

"In the past one year, we have seen countless petitions from unknown groups, unknown faces. Even this group and its convener,  Comrade Odey Otunu is relatively unknown to us in the Niger Delta.

" We have seen protests and propaganda from people we know so well backing such shenanigans. It's indeed a shame that this is the way they want to go, all because they are not the one appointed to be at the office. 

"Niger Deltans know the truth, amnesty programme beneficiaries know that they are receiving their monthly stipends promptly and a lot is being done by Dr Dennis Otuaro and his team. We commend them greatly.

"These baseless allegations and petitions should be discouraged. The NSA, IGP and EFCC should caution organizations like the Niger Delta Liberators and Ex-agitators Forum for attempting to discredit an appointee of President Bola Tinubu, through unsubstantiated claims. Nigeria is a country with laws and these laws against defamation of character must be respected and adhered to by all."

The chairman asserted that under Dr Otuaro's watch, international best practices in terms of award of contracts were followed to the latter, stressing that the Amnesty boss and his team have not only prioritized the welfare of beneficiaries but the expansion of the programme to give beneficiaries the chance to be self-sustaining among other achievements.

He called on the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun to be alive to their responsibilities by working with federal agencies like the EFCC to curb undue harassment and blackmail of President Bola Tinubu's appointee, with special focus on the barrage of  petitions against Dr Otuaro which are the hard work of mischief makers bent on detailing the amnesty programme.

Letugbene passed a vote of confidence on Dr Otuaro and  canvassed for more support from stakeholders in the Niger Delta region including state governors, traditional rulers, opinion leaders, women, youth and ethnic-based organizations as well as the leadership and beneficiaries in the three phases, for the PAP Administrator to succeed in his mandate.