The ex-agitators
By Victory Useh, Yenagoa
The Niger Delta ex – militants under the aegis of the third phase of the presidential Amnesty Program has given kudos and commended the PAP office , most especially the Interim Administrator, Col Millad Dixon Dikio rtd, who introduced sensitive policies and innovations which the delegates have keyed into.
The vision he has introduced had endeared ex – agitators to desist from protests and blocking of federal roads, they said.
The Acting National Secretary of the Third phase of ex – agitators, Elaye Slaboh who was flanked by the state Chairman of the Third phase , Oscar Jackson spoke to journalists after an exhaustive and enlarged meeting of delegates and stakeholders in Yenagoa.
According to them, they have all stopped blocking federal roads and incessant protests which gave the region bad names and keyed into the new vision of the IA and gave him the kudos for partnering with the Central Bank of Nigeria who gave them the privilege to access loans with which they will become entrepreneurs and self reliant, reminding the PAP office that being the pioneer delegates, the program has benefited them immensely and transformed their lives.
“If peradventure the program has kicked – off in December 2021, the third phase with 800 persons to be empowered with #3million each, the third phase who are pioneers ought to be given utmost priority as beneficiaries to show transparency and eliminate suspicion in what PAP office is doing”
They further stated that three weeks ago at a meeting at Akwa – Ibom they were given assurance that very soon they will be called as they are in last phase of the program of NIRSAL Loan, but nothing is happening and they are worried.
“PAP invited 60 persons for workshop and training in Yenagoa where some of us were excluded, as ‘pilot program’, our fear is that if PAP don’t put us in the first batch some of our followers may decide to go different directions of the things we have stopped, we are gradually losing faith”
He said their fears were allayed, that whether they were not invited was immaterial, that it will involve all the delegates.
They said they are using this medium to appeal to the PAP office and Interim Administrator, Col Millad Dikio rtd, to treat them equally like his children that has been transformed by including them in the first phase of the beneficiaries of the Amnesty and NIRSAL CBN partnership loan.
On whether they felt betrayed, they said ” the system has just started and it is transparent, however, our fear is that we have a lot of followers and if we are not considered in the first batch a lot of people will think the office is not sincere with us”
They therefore appealed to the delegates to be calm and still remain resilience to the system and should not take the laws into their hands.
They also stated that Christmas is around the corner as most of them with existing farms and agro – allied ventures need empowerment to meet up their expectations and demands from their families.
About Author
