YENAGOA- Ex-agitators from the Niger Delta have urged the newly-appointed National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, to support retention of the Interim Administrator of Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), retired Maj.-Gen. Barry Ndiomu.
The ex-agitators, under the auspices of the Coalition of Ex-agitators of Niger Delta (CEND), expressed confidence in Ndiomu, saying that they were comfortable with the way he piloted the affairs of PAP.
On Thursday, in Yenagoa, the Chairman and Coordinator of CEND, Gershom Mpaka Gbobo, congratulated Ribadu on his appointment and said that retention of Ndiomu was necessary.
Gbobo said that since assumption of office, Ndiomu had sanitised PAP.
He said: “General Ndiomu (retired), as the amnesty boss, has introduced life-changing and sustainable programmes for ex-agitators.
“For instance, the introduction of cooperatives by Ndiomu was designed to wean ex-agitators of dependence on N65,000 monthly stipend and make them entrepreneurs, employers of labour and contributors to the economy of the Niger-Delta region and peace and growth of Nigeria.”
Gbobo said that Ndiomu successfully blocked all financial leakages in PAP and stopped all corrupt practices especially multiple payments of stipends to individuals with multiple bank accounts.
He said: “The recent attacks on Ndiomu were launched by those who had hitherto turned the PAP to a cash cow or personal automated teller machine and are the real enemies of the Niger Delta.
“These are portfolio contractors and corrupt ex-agitators affected by Ndiomu’s reforms and initiatives.
“The coalition of ex-agitators of Niger Delta has full confidence in the Ndiomu-led administration.
“We have moved a vote of confidence in him because he has done well as the interim administrator.”
He said that Ndiomu’s initiatives were designed to sustain the peace in the Niger Delta.
“He has sanitised the office and stopped many fraudulent activities. The interim administrator should be retained to enable him sustain his initiatives which can be described as game changers for ex-agitators and the Niger Delta.
” We call on the Niger Delta stakeholders to support Ndiomu to successfully carry out his programmes.
“Ndiomu is a man of good character. We are calling on everybody to support him,” he said. (NAN)
