Professor Charlse Dokubo, the Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme,weekend met with ex-militant youths under the third Phase beneficiaries over the crisis rocking their fold and the incessant protests over alleged unpaid allowances which had led to blockages of the East-West road in the past.
The meeting ,which was convened in Uyo, Akwa Ibom, was at the instance of the Amnesty Committee and meant to seeks ways of healthy communication, peaceful conduct and partnership between the Amnesty office and various phases of beneficiaries in the Niger Delta region.
The Amnesty Boss, during the interactive session with the third phase beneficiaries, said despite the Federal Government efforts to meet up with its part in the amnesty deal and pay stipends to beneficiaries as at when due, the internal crisis rocking the fold of the third phase amnesty beneficiaries is responsible for the rise frivolous petitions before him and unprovoked protest against the Federal Government.
Dokubo expressed concern over that the illegal protests and actions of some ex-militants that were caused by the existing carefree and non-credible factions in the leadership of the third phase amnesty beneficiaries.
He advised that the ex-militant leaders should resolved among themselves to elect leaders that will promote peace, unity of purpose and healthy relationship with the amnesty committee in the region, ‘ third phase beneficiaries should come up with modalities to elect proper leaders through a violence free and credible election.’
An ex-militant leader and beneficiary of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Comrade Asenekiri Oyinle, in a statement after the meeting, commended the Professor Charles Dokubo for his open interactive policy with ex-militants and urged him to assist in the area of more leadership training and rehabilitation programme for beneficiaries to improve their leadership qualities.
He called on the amnesty office to assist the third phase Amnesty beneficiaries to organise a credible election to allow for a peaceful and credible leadership that will not be associated with sponsored protests against the Federal Government.
Oyinle also demanded that the Presidential Amnesty office to restore the slots and chances which were legally allotted to them at the inception of the programme,’ the amnesty office should make a conscious effort to proved lasting solution to various court cases against the Amnesty office.’
‘If we may ask,what is the function of the department of conflict resolution?.To sanitize the programme,we implore the amnesty office to embark on a proper verification exercise that would enable the federal government to ascertain the genuine beneficiaries of the third phase amnesty.’
