Niger Delta youth leaders at the weekend warned politicians against undue interference in the activities of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) coordinated by Prof. Charles Dokubo.
The leaders also appealed to the federal government to adequately fund PAP to enable the scheme fulfil its mandate.
In a statement under the auspices of the Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders (NDENYL), they alleged that the amnesty programme had been stifled by inadequate funding over the years.
The leaders were drawn from the Urhobo Youth Assembly (UYA); Akwa-Cross Youth Coalition for Peace (AKCYCP); Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) worldwide; Itsekiri Youths; Kalabari Indigenous Movement (KIM) and the Efik Youth Council (EYC).
In a statement by an IYC Spokesman, Daniel Dasimaka for the President-General of the NDENYL, Oweilaemi Pereotubo, the youth leaders declared that unless the PAP was adequately funded, the newly-appointed amnesty boss and anyone else that occupy the office would not deliver on their mandates.
It said: โThe Niger Delta Presidential Amnesty programme is one peace building programme that has helped the federal government tremendously to meet its financial targets.
โThus it is disheartening that it is not being adequately funded for the past three years.
โWe are therefore using this medium to call on the Federal Government to ensure the disbursement of all funds earmarked for the Amnesty Office.โ
It added: โOur research shows that until his sack, the Gen Boroh led Amnesty programme had only received payment for the first quarter of 2017. What do you expect from a Man and office that has only received 2017 first quarter payment by almost the end of first quarter 2018? How can such a person and office perform optimally?
โWe are thus calling on the President to ensure the timely release of all funds due to the Amnesty Programme.โ
