Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Maj-Gen Barry Ndiomu (retd), has confirmed that the federal government has suspended its earlier plan to terminate the programme.
Ndiomu, who disclosed this yesterday via a statement by PAP’s media consultant, Donu Kogbara, expressed gratitude to the federal government for listening when he made it clear that critical stakeholders across the region were strongly opposed to the winding down of the PAP initiative.
The PAP boss added that all responsible stakeholders nevertheless support change and share his view that the programme needs to be totally refocused and restructured.
According to him, the government weighed the arguments presented to them, based on their merits, and decided to suspend the planned shutdown.
He said the federal government’s willingness to retrace its steps demonstrated the sensitivity of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to issues affecting the Niger Delta region.
“The decision was taken after the feelings of stakeholders and people of the region were communicated to the government and proved that the Buhari’s administration will not do anything to jeopardize the peace in the Niger Delta.
“We call on all stakeholders to sustain the peace in the region and help the new administration reform, refocus and reposition the programme for optimum performance,” he said.
