October 6, (THEWILL) – The Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Maj-General Barry Tariye Ndiomu (rtd), has revealed intentions to redefine the operations of the amnesty programme in consonance with global standards and protocols.
The Interim Administrator said Nigeria’s amnesty programme, as currently constituted, has outlived the essence of its establishment 13 years ago, hence, the need to review and re-engineer its operations, cannot be overemphasised.
More importantly, he emphasised some elements of the amnesty initiative may not be sustainable in the light of the present economic realities of the nation.
General Ndiomu, who barred his heart in his maiden interactive and sensitisation session with some ex-agitators and stakeholders, held at the conference hall of PAP, Abuja, explained that the organisation, like every other organic corporate body, needs constant evaluation or review from time to time.
According to the General, it is practically impossible to achieve the core mandate of the programme which includes disarmament, disbandment and reintegration, if the organisation is not rejigged for an effective and efficient management paradigm.
This proposition became more necessary because the programme has entered its third phase, which is reintegration, a critical stage in the entire amnesty narrative.
General Ndiomu stated that he will provide purposeful leadership by putting in place structures and institutional frameworks that will encourage institutional transparency and accountability in the interest of the beneficiaries of the initiative.
The agency, he observed, will open new channels of communication and interface with its target audience to entrench the culture of dialogue to protect and enhance the mutually beneficial interests of both the agency and the stakeholders.
Therefore, General Ndiomu stated that it shall not be business as usual because there shall be a paradigm shift in management, where set goals and monthly and quarterly deliverables will be made known to all concerned.
General Ndiomu expressed the manner and attitude of both managers and some beneficiaries in the execution of the initiative.
For instance, he noted with dismay, the glaring systemic disconnect of the past wondering why no beneficiaries have exited the programme after training and empowerment for all these years.
He questioned the rationale for having 30,000 persons still in its enrollment after 13 years of its existence. This, he noted, defies any rational logic, as the figures keep escalating beyond acceptable levels.
He intoned that it is not sustainable, adding that all the stakeholders in this matrix must make sacrifices in furtherance of the interest of the people and the government.
He said the apparent lack of sincerity of purpose informed the federal government’s directives to commence the process of winding up the programme, given the fact that the initiative was meant to last for 5 years only.
But the government was magnanimous enough to extend its life span to allow for peace and harmony in the region. Even so, there must be an eventual terminal date for the programme as it obtains in other conflict regions of the world, especially in South America, he offered.
General Ndiomu, however, pointed out that winding down is a process that will not be terminated abruptly to allow for the prevailing peace in the Niger Delta region.
Maybe someday, the programme may transit or metamorphose into a more robust and sustainable initiative that will take into account the special needs of the people in the face of the present dynamics of the region. Just maybe.
He has appealed to the delegates and stakeholders to show greater understanding, as the process begins in earnest after due consultations with key stakeholders in the region.
He has equally revealed his intention to revive all the vocational centres under the management of the Programme in preparation for future outcomes.
General Ndiomu has assured the stakeholders that efforts will be made to address the injustices of the past while reconciling the figures of the beneficiaries of the programme since its inception.
The representatives of the various groups present at the meeting also promised to support General Ndiomu’s plans for the region, as long as it is in the interest of the generality of the people. They, however, noted that they will take home the message and promised to give the I.A feedback in due course.
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