Elder statesman and South South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark; representatives of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) and the Ijaw National Congress (INC); ex-agitators; and other prominent stakeholders of the Niger Delta region have affirmed that the Presidential Amnesty Program (PAP) has brought relative and sustainable peace for oil and gas activities to thrive in the region.

The stakeholders gave the affirmation in a communique issued at the end of a Meeting of Leaders of the Niger Delta Region with Phases 1, 2 and 3 of PAP Beneficiaries recently in Abuja

They stressed that the Presidential Amnesty Programme, which was instituted by the late ex-President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in 2009, has played a major role in bringing peace, security and stability to the Niger Delta region, which at the time was challenged by an upsurge of militant activities.

The Beneficiaries of the PAP program while sharing their thoughts on various existing challenges of the program, applauded the PAP Interim Administrator on the new initiatives to deepen socio-economic impact through the establishment of the PAP Cooperative Scheme and enjoined all beneficiaries to “wholly embrace it”.

They noted that the PAP has carried out various training and reintegration initiatives and stressed the need for the Programme be sustained with “greater vigour and funding”.

The stakeholders also affirmed that the PAP Interim Administrator has demonstrated high administrative capacity and competence since assuming office in October 2022. They urged the youths of the Niger Delta to sustainably embrace peace and work with the government to ensure effective implementation of the PAP initiatives aimed at addressing the socio-economic and developmental challenges of the region.

They called on the Federal Government to accord special attention to the Presidential Amnesty Programme, which according to them, has remained a major booster to the critical oil and gas industry, from which the country earns most of its revenue.

Calls were also made for the Amnesty Programme to “be inclusive, to cover all properly accredited delegates, and to improve conditions for its implementation, as regards the welfare of beneficiaries” in line with the economic realities of the country.

They further appealed to the Interim Administrator to establish Liaison Offices in the Niger Delta states to ensure effective implementation of PAP initiatives, and the establishment of a “single window liaison” at the PAP headquarters “for the purpose of resolving issues brought before the PAP Management”.

Leaders of ethnic nationalities who jointly signed the communique included: Dr. Godknows Igali, Secretary of Board of Trustee’s (BOT), PANDEF; Dr. Alfred Mulade, National Secretary, PANDEF; Dr. Ken Robinson, National Publicity Secretary, PANDEF; Dr. Prince Anyanate Kio, Leader, National Representative Council (NRC) of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) Worldwide; Engr. Ebi Wodu, National Secretary, Ijaw National Congress (INC) Worldwide; Ms Annkio Briggs, Critical Stakeholder; Chief Kennedy Odiowei National Financial Secretary (INC) and others.