President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the renewal of appointment of Colonel MD Dikio (Rtd) as Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme for another one-year tenure.
Col. Dikio was first appointed in August 2020, and has, despite the challenges, been able to command widespread respect amongst the various stakeholders in the Niger Delta.
Details later…
*Dikio, Udom, Essien, challenge ex-agitators on Niger Delta development
By Amgbare Ekaunkumo, Yenagoa
Ex-agitators and members of the Strategic Communications Committee (SCC) set up by the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) have expressed their readiness to counter negative narratives about the Niger Delta.
Speaking after a three-day workshop organised for them in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, by PAP’s Interim Administrator, Col. Milland Dixon Dikio, the ex-agitators said the skills and techniques they learnt from experts assembled for the event would help them change the negative perception about the region.
The Chairman of SCC, Pastor Nature Dumale said: “The training has given us the awareness and the enlightenment we never had. The knowledge we have received will be adequately used to change the narratives and perception of people about our region”.
Akwa Ibom State Governor, Emmanuel Udom and Chairman, Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Emmanuel Essien, who attended the grand finale of the workshop, urged ex-agitators to contribute to the development of the region.
Dikio asked them to channel their knowledge to the progress and development of the region appealing to them to emulate others, who were already making positive impacts in the region.
He advised the ex-agitators to minimize complaining and start working with vision and purpose.
Addressing them, he said: “Contribute to the development of the Niger Delta region instead of complaining. The agitation should be channeled to the right purpose. Progress is not measured overnight; it starts with little beginnings just like this one.”
In his remarks, Governor Udom Emmanuel, who was represented by Owoidighe Ekpoattai, SA to the Governor on Cottage Industries Clutters enjoined the committee to be proud of their region and report truth without prejudice.
He commended Dikio for challenging the ex-agitator to move from dependent stipend earners to independent entrepreneurs.
“With this, I know you will report positively about Akwa Ibom State and especially the Niger Delta region. This is a great region and a good place to be. I am proud to be from the Niger delta region because we speak the truth and we want to be free,” he said
The PANDEF chairman, Essien described the workshop as a success and commended Dikio for bringing the event to Akwa Ibom saying it was the first time such event held in the state.
Essien said: “The amnesty programme is a special programme for the region and it would not last forever.
“Your job is to ensure that positive reporting is done for the benefit of this region so that investors will not runaway from this region.
We have to make this region peaceful to attract employment and opportunities for our people.”
The workshop with the theme, “Communication for Positive Change” was organised for members of the SCC by Dikio through the PAP’s Media Consultant, First Media Network Limited, to equip them with the skills to effectively discharge their mandate of changing the perception of the region through effective communication, especially at the grassroots.
Another militant group, Niger Delta Volunteers (NDV) has supported the call by Akwa Ibom militants in the call for sack of the Presidential Amnesty Programme’s Interim Administrator Col. Milland Dixion Dikio (retd).
A group, ‘Uyekisong’ had last week initiated the campaign for the removal of Dikio for alleged discrimination and marginalization of militants from Akwa Ibom.
It demanded that Dikio be replaced with a substantive Special adviser/Coordinator.
A statement signed by the NDV’s President General and his deputy, General Ekpo Ekpo and Capt. Nsidibe Etim, respectively and made available to newsmen in Uyo on Thursday insisted on total restructuring of the Programme, to meet its statutory mandate.
The group lamented that out of the 200 ex-agitators trained in vocational skills by Presidential Amnesty Programme non was Akwa Ibom indigene.
The statement reads in parts: “We are deeply shocked to learn that over 200 delegates (ex-agitators) of PAP recently graduated from a six-month intensive classroom and working trainings in welding/fabrication, abrasive blasting, mechanical fittings, industrial painting and scaffolding/rigging under the 2019/2020 PAP Delegates programme, which was organized by the Amnesty Office and anchored by Bradama International Skills Ltd., Ese-Odo in Ondo State.
“Expectedly but sadly though, there was no delegate from Akwa Ibom State. This has gone to prove the allegation of non- inclusion of Akwa Ibom amnesty beneficiaries from trainings, empowerment and other activities of the Amnesty Programme.
“Besides, while the Amnesty Programme has offices with Coordinators in other States of the Niger Delta, there is none to coordinate the activities of the Programme in Akwa Ibom State.
According to them, since Dikio’s assumption of office, he has not formally met with relevant stakeholders, including ex-militants from Akwa Ibom State who are participating in the amnesty programme, to have their views and identify their challenges.
“We are, therefore, in strong support of UNYEKISONG in its recent demands for a comprehensive restructuring of the Niger Delta Amnesty Programme, to include the replacement of the Interim Administrator of the Programme with a substantive Coordinator, removal of the supervisory/oversight powers over the programme from the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), as well as the reconstitution of the management of the programme with representatives from the nine Niger Delta states to ensure probity, transparency and all-inclusiveness.
The group threatened to join forces with all the ex-militants to shut down oil operations in Akwa Ibom State if demands are not genuinely addressed.
Militants in Akwa Ibom have demanded the immediate sack of the interim administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Col. Milland Dixion Dikio(Rtd) and his replacement with a substantive special adviser/coordinator.
They also asked for the removal of the supervisory and oversight powers of the programme from the Office of the National Security Adviser and total restructuring of the PAP to enable it fulfill its statutory mandate.
The agitators under the aegis of Unyek Isong, the Supreme Council for Akwa Ibom militants, accused the PAP interim administrator, Col. Dikio of neglecting their welfare and excluding them from activities of the programme.
In a statement signed by ‘General’ Dede Udofia and ‘Major’ Ibanga Ekeng and made available to correspondents in Uyo on Monday, the agitators said that they have been marginalized and excluded from meetings, trainings and empowerment packages of the PAP.
”Despite the several millions of naira spent annually by the Amnesty Office on the welfare of Niger Delta ex-agitators, ex-,militants of Akwa Ibom origin who are participants of the Amnesty programme have been neglected, discriminated against, marginalized and completely left out of the major activities of the programme, including trainings and empowerment.
”They are also consistently excluded from meetings and important events that require the participation of ex-militants from the region. Funds so appropriated are derived from the nation’s revenue of which Akwa Ibom is the highest contributor.
”Since the present government came into power, successive administrations of the Amnesty Programme under the supervision of the National Security Adviser have the the Amnesty Programme to their personal investment project leaving some of the ex-militants particularly those from our state neglected and marginalized.
”We have observed the continued exclusion of these affected ex-militants from local and overseas training programmes, stoppage of monthly stipends of over 100 ex-militants from Akwa Ibom state since 2010 and eventual removal of their names from the Amnesty payroll without any cogent reason.” The statement said.
According to them, the PAP was structured and administered to favour their colleagues in Rivers, Bayelsa and Ondo States while the rest from other states are treated as second class ex militants.
They threatened to ‘react’ if the federal government fails to accede to their demands.