says he has brought peace, stability to Niger Delta
Amgbare Ekaunkumo, Yenagoa
A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Essien Ayi has said that the call by critical stakeholders in the Niger Delta for President Muhammadu Buhari to make Col. Milland Dixon Dikio (rtd), the substantive Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), is to sustain the current peace in the region.
The lawmaker noted that among the various regions in the country, the Niger Delta is ranked as the most peaceful because of the deliberate action plan deployed by Dikio in running the amnesty programme in the last one year.
He pointed out that aside maintaining the peace in the Niger Delta, making Dikio the substantive PAP helmsman will help him actualize his laudable vision for the programme and the region as a whole.
Hon. Ayi who is the chairman of the House Committee on Niger Delta, also attributed the peace and stability in the Niger Delta to Dikio’s constant engagement with stakeholders and early payment of stipend to PAP’s beneficiaries.
“Between the six geopolitical zones in the country today, the South-South zone happens to be the most peaceful and most stable of all the zones. The Interim Administrator has been able to fulfil the obligation of the Presidential Amnesty Programme”, Ayi said.
Continuing he said, “There was a time the beneficiaries had six months backlog of stipend payment, but today they are paid up to do date and on time. From my interview with most of these beneficiaries, they seem very satisfied with Dikio’s performance.
“Dikio’s administration has helped reduce the tension in the region. Before this present administration, the debt of the Presidential Amensty office was becoming very embarrassing. At a time, it went up to over N70 billion. It is different now, this administration is trying to clear the records”.
Ayi, who represents Akpabuyo/Bakassi/Calabar South Constituency, flayed critics of Dikio, urging the president to ignore them, adding that what should be paramount in the decision to make him substantive head is the reality on ground and not petty speculations borne out of mischief and hate.
The four time member of the House of Representatives while applauding Dikio for his tenacity and courage to do the right thing, assured him that despite the attacks on him by some naysayers, his intervention in the region has not gone unnoticed.
“The Presidental Amnesty office was created as an intervention programme, and not a contract awarding agency. People used that office for political gain, even highly placed people in the country felt it was their right to receive contract from this same office.
It was almost becoming a mess but with Col. Dikio coming on board, he has been able to sort out these excesses and bring stability” he said.
