YENAGOA (Sundiata Post) – The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) says a bank has accepted responsibility for the delay in the payment of March stipends to the beneficiaries of the amnesty programme.
PAP made the explanation on Thursday following repeated complaints by the beneficiaries of the amnesty programme over what it described as “abnormal delay” in the payment of the stipends.
A statement by Mr. Igoniko Oduma, Special Assistant, Media to the Programme Administrator, Dr. Dennis Otuaro, said “the United Bank for Africa (UBA) in a letter to the administrator, “explained that some delegates banking with it had not been paid due to glitches in the bank’s processing system.”
However, the statement said the bank also explained that it has processed the refund for the failed transactions into the beneficiaries’ accounts.
According to Oduma, the Amnesty Office had written to the bank seeking an explanation for the delay as a result of complaints from some beneficiaries.
He assured that the Amnesty Office had already disbursed the March stipends in question to all beneficiaries’ accounts and that the funds had already left its (Amnesty Office) accounts.
The Amnesty Office further assured that it would collaborate with the bank to ensure the resolution of all outstanding payment issues.
PAP also thanked all the affected beneficiaries “for their patience and display of patriotism in reacting to this unexpected development.”
