Niger Delta: Group Urges Jonathan To Quicken Amnesty Implementation

PHOTO: DR GOODLUCK JONATHAN.

WARRI, DELTA April 23, (THEWILL) - The Unveilers of Good Leaders Foundation (UGLF), a non-governmental organization has advised the acting president Goodluck Jonathan to give priority the ongoing amnesty programme to ensure its speedy implementation.

In a statement signed by the national president of the group, Evangelist David Ohwobeya, and made available to THE WILL in Warri, the group noted that the amnesty programme is gradually being politicized, instead of its original plan to disarm the ex-militants and subsequently empower them.

The group expressed dismay over the way the amnesty programme initiated by ailing president Yar’Adua is been handled, lamenting that since October 4th, when the militants eventually dropped their arms, no meaningful step has been taken by the federal government to ensure the actualization of the programme.

The statements further revealed that some of the repentant militants were already at the verge of returning to violence, and if the youths are not properly engaged meaningfully, there are tendency that the amnesty programme may fail and the youths resuming violence, which could be a serious threat to the prevailing peace in the region.

While commending the acting president for what he has achieved so far since he assumed office, the group advised him to concentrate fully on the amnesty programme, and ensure that only sincere people handle the programme, because some of the ex-militants are already complaining that they were been neglected by the government and short- changed by their purported militant leaders.