Special Report: Otuaro, Championing A Paradigm Shift, Changing The Narratives In PAP
It is now obvious that President Bola Tinubu made the right choice when he appointed Dr Dennis Otuaro as the substantive Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, PAP. In just few months in office, Otuaro’s achievements have proved the nay sayers wrong and vindicated the majority who hailed his appointment.
It is on record that no previous PAP boss appointments have ever received the tumultuous applause and endorsement like that of Otuaro. Niger Delta political leaders, monarchs, youth leaders, ex-agitators, women, Civil Society Organization, CSOs,and indeed all stakehoders across the length and breathe of the Niger Delta from Akwa Ibom to Edo were unanimous in their support and endorsement of Otuaro’s appointment.
The reasons for the endorsement of Otuaro is simple, he is a tested and trusted leader in Niger Delta, a man who is well aware of the myriad of issues bedeviling the Niger Delta region and a known face who also played active role in the formation of the Presidential Amnesty Programme ,PAP, and therefore his appointment is significant in many ways as he is deeply rooted in the Niger Delta struggle for a better living condition.
MILESTONES/ACHIEVEMENTS
Knowing fully well that he cannot work or achieve anything without the support of stakeholders, Otuaro has visited leaders and stakeholders and held meetings with a cross section of stakeholders. He has particularly met with the owners of the programmer, the ex-agitators, where he outlined the vision and mission of the Tinubu led “Renewed Hope Agenda.”
At a four-day stakeholders’ engagement in Warri, Delta State, with the theme: “Fostering, Consolidating, and Collaborating for Peace, Security, Stability, and Development of the Niger Delta.” to drive home Mr President’s genuine desire for sustained peace and growth of the Niger Delta region, Otuaro stressed that all stakeholders in the region must work towards this goal and consolidate the success of the Amnesty Programme to prevent the Niger Delta from going back to the pre-amnesty years of serious conflicts and violence, which negatively impacted the region and the country.
“Sustaining the peace and security of the Niger Delta is the mandate of the Amnesty Programme, and we must do this for our communities and our children.” Otuaro said.
In the same vein, Otuaro has also made separate consultative visits to the palace of the Chief Priest of Mein-Diringbia Deity (Agadagba III) of Mein Kingdom, HRM King Godday Smith; the Meinbutus Elders Council, the Spokesman of IYC Worldwide, Amb Binebai Yerin Princewill all in Warri, Delta State, women groups with the host of others too numerous to mention.
The members of Meinbutus Elders Council unanimously passed a vote of confidence in Otuaro during his consultative visits to the stakeholders.So far, Otuaro has brought in his wealth of experience to sustain the gains recorded by previous administrators of the Programme and also improve on it in line with current realities. He operates an open door policy by carrying everyone along.
SUSTAINING PAP’S OBJECTIVES
Under the implementation of the vocational objectives of the programme, PAP under the leadership of Otuaro has deployed four cadet pilot trainees for type-rating training at the SIM Aerotraining Ltd in Johannesburg, South Africa,
It is in pursuit of the PAP objectives to ensure that delegates and beneficiaries acquire the requisite skills for gainful employment in the aviation sector.This is a continuation of the PAP’s deployment of its delegates and beneficiaries to aviation training institutions locally and around the world to enable them become useful to themselves and the society.
In September and November 2023, the PAP Office sent 40 trainees (20 in each month) for aircraft maintenance engineering at Leadstream Aviation Training, Lagos, who finished their programme and are currently undergoing on-the-job training.
The PAP Office had also in November 2023 deployed two batches of six cadet pilot trainees each to SIM Aerotraining Ltd and ALT Academy, also in Johannesburg.
In January this year, the PAP Office also sent eight cadet pilot trainees for type-rating training at SIM Aerotraining Ltd on ERJ-145 and another six to ALT Academy on Boeing 737 aeroplane, while two trainees were also sent for helicopter instrument-rating and type-rating training, respectively, at Henley Airfreight Training Ltd, also in Johannesburg.
The enlisting of the four cadet pilots for training, also highlights the passion and commitment to the implementation of the mandate of the PAP in the area of human capital development for our teeming youths in the Niger Delta under the leadership of Otuaro.
Congratulating the trainees on their deployment, the PAP boss urged them to take their training seriously, shun all forms of distractions and social vices and “be good ambassadors of Nigeria, the Presidential Amnesty Programme and the Niger Delta as well as your communities while in South Africa.”
He further said, “The aviation sector is a huge industry. You now have the rare opportunity to acquire the relevant skills and knowledge that will prepare you to begin a career in the aviation industry. Please, grab it with both hands and make yourself worthy ambassadors of this programme.”
VISITS FOREIGN SCHOLARSHIP STUDENTS
Otuaro, has encouraged students under Programme’s foreign scholarship scheme to justify the Federal Government’s investment in them by taking their studies seriously, adding that much was expected from the students in their academic performance to justify the Federal Government’s investment in their education.
Otuaro gave the advice during his meeting with the PAP scholarship students currently studying in the United Kingdom.
Otuaro told them that the PAP scholarship scheme had produced large number of graduates who made first-class and second-class upper divisions in competitive disciplines, including the sciences and clinical sciences.
He urged them to sustain the story of academic excellence by their counterparts back home in the foreign country. According to him, many PAP graduates are doing very well in their post-graduation endeavours and contributing significantly to national growth and development.
The PAP boss stated that his administration was putting measures in place to make the scholarship scheme more robust to bridge the human capacity gap in the Niger Delta, adding that he would continually prioritize the scholarship and welfare of students studying in Nigerian and foreign universities under the ongoing reintegration phase of the programme.
He said this was in tandem with the vision of President Bola Tinubu for the peace, security, stability, and socio-economic development of the Niger Delta, as encapsulated in his Renewed Hope Agenda.
He said: “As PAP scholarship students abroad, it is very important that you study hard and aim to make the best grades in your academics.
“That is what you have been sent here to do, and that is what you are here to do and nothing else. Nigeria deserves nothing less than good conduct and sterling academic performances from you.
“We will always prioritize your scholarship and welfare because this is one avenue through which we can achieve our goal of closing the existing gap in the human capital development of our region.
“Let me take this opportunity to inform you that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is very happy with the fact that PAP scholarship students are making first-class and second-class upper divisions in various courses of study, particularly in the sciences, engineering, and clinical sciences.
“Therefore, the Niger Delta is properly captured in Mr President’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which is why he is very supportive of the Office in terms of the educational and vocational programmes we carry out to deepen the reintegration phase of the programme for the benefit of our people.
“We are immensely grateful to Mr President, and that is why I urge you all to take your studies seriously and don’t disappoint the Federal Government, the PAP Office, and the Niger Delta region where you come from.”
TESTIMONIES OF PURPOSEFUL LEADERSHIP
PRESIDENTIAL AMNESTY GRADUATES LAUD INNOVATIVE LEADERSHIP OF AMNESTY BOSS, OTUARO
The National Association of Presidential Amnesty Graduates (NAPAG) has applauded the innovative leadership of the Administrator, of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr Dennis Otuaro.
NAPAG, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Somina Morrison Igani, commended Otuaro for adopting innovative approach to leadership.
The group also hailed him for bringing vast improvements in overseeing the PAP.
Igani observed that Otuaro’s innovative leadership approach has manifested greatly in all aspects of the programme, particularly in his determined effort to bridge the human capital development gap in the Niger Delta.
He noted that the PAP Administrator’s steadfast dedication has resulted in significant progress in several areas under the programme.
He listed these to include enhanced academic opportunities through scholarship awards, the prompt payment of monthly stipends to PAP delegates, and a revitalised vocational skills acquisition program, providing beneficiaries with high-quality training in various trades.
“Under his (Otuaro’s) leadership, there has been a significant increase in support for academic pursuits, enabling many ex-agitators to pursue higher education and professional training.
“This special attention to academics has not only empowered individuals but also contributed immensely to the socio-economic development of the Niger Delta region and beyond.
“The prompt disbursement of allowances under Dr Otuaro’s leadership has been instrumental in the sustenance of the livelihoods of many former agitators,” Igani said.
He added that the prompt payment of monthly allowances to ex-agitators had been crucial to sustainable peace, security and stability in the region and was a huge support to the reintegration process.
He also pointed out that the PAP boss had demonstrated an unparalleled dedication to the academic progress of NAPAG members, stressing that they were happy to identify with the leadership of Otuaro.
Igani said, “His administration has significantly expanded educational opportunities, ensuring that we are better equipped to contribute to the nation’s growth.”
The Presidential Amnesty graduates further commended the PAP Administrator for the strategic appointment of capable aides, among others, for quality delivery of service.
They, therefore, passed a vote of confidence in Otuaro and urged him to maintain the positive impact of his innovative administration on the people and communities of the Niger Delta.
OTUARO HAS ENSURED PARADIGM SHIFT AT PAP- INC
•••Says We Are Proud of His Innovative Leadership Skills
The national leadership of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) has commended the Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr Dennis Otuaro for providing innovative leadership at the PAP.
The President of the INC, Prof Benjamin Okaba, stated this when he led a delegation of the apex Ijaw socio-cultural organisation to visit Otuaro at the PAP Office in Abuja on Thursday.
The INC comments were contained in a statement issued by the Special Assistant on Media to the PAP Administrator, Mr Igoniko Oduma on Friday.
Okaba who congratulated Otuaro said that the leadership of the INC and the entire Ijaw nation are proud of him.
He said the Ijaw nation had been expressing satisfaction with the laudable performance of the PAP boss since assuming office in March, 2024, particularly in ensuring a paradigm shift in the programme.
The INC chief thanked President Bola Tinubu for appointing Otuaro, noting that the gesture underscored the attempt at addressing the concerns of the Ijaw nation.
He also expressed gratitude to the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, for having confidence in the capacity and ability of the PAP boss to deliver on the mandate of the programme.
Okaba said, “When we heard that you are the one appointed to this highly exalted position, we felt very happy. Today, it is to familiarise ourselves and to understand the terrain.
“We want to say that you have started very well. We have seen the paradigm shift in many areas. We want to appreciate you. Ijaw people are talking well about you; you are a very pragmatic person, an engager and somebody who is not pursued by problems. Rather, when they come, you confront them frontally.
“We like to take this opportunity to really appreciate the President, Bola Tinubu, for your appointment. And only yesterday, a daughter of Ijaw nation was also appointed as Head of the Civil Service of the Federation. The Ijaw issues of marginalisation, exploitation and underdevelopment etc, are receiving a much-needed attention.
“Also, we thank the National Security Adviser for the confidence he has in you. In any opportunity we have, we shall impress it upon him that you are a round peg in a round hole. You are a product of the Ijaw struggle for self-determination; not a stranger to the Ijaw problems.
“You can interpret those salient points of Ijaw agitation, and you understand the peculiarities of this engagement. You understand your assignment and Ijaw nation is waiting. You are already doing very well, you have our prayers and support.”
Responding, the PAP Administrator called for unity among the Ijaw people, assuring the INC leadership that he would not be carried away by the Office and disappoint the Ijaw nation.
Otuaro vowed to work hard to promote President Tinubu’s strong will for the sustainable development, peace and security of the Niger Delta.
While thanking the INC for the “legacy visit”, Otuaro said he was poised to make the Programme better with innovations and transparency.
According to him, his administration would increase the number of scholarship students from the current 275 it inherited in the 2023/2024 academic session across various partnering universities in the country.
Otuaro also said that the Office had designed a scheme to empower not less than 1000 Niger Delta people in the vocational sectors, in the months ahead, adding that he would always do the right things.
The PAP boss said, “I will not be carried away on this assignment. I will make sure that as an Ijaw man, I will not disappoint the Ijaw National Congress. The INC is the umbrella voice of the Ijaw people. I will not work at cross-purposes with the aspirations of our Niger Delta Delta people.
“In doing that, I will also make sure that I promote the strong will Mr President has towards the development of the Niger Delta. As a people, it is when we are united and support the aspirations of our people, that Mr President will even listen to us. We need to work together.
“I will always do the right things here; make sure this programme under this administration focuses on empowerment of our youths through formal and informal education. I will not use backdoor to do something that is worth doing.”
END
KING ATEKE TOM COMMENDS OTUARO FOR BOLD STEPS To REPOSITION PAP
… Urges Detractors To Stop Distracting Him
The King of Okochiri Kingdom in Okirika Local Government Area of Rivers State, HRM King Ateke Tom, has hailed the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr Dennis Otuaro, for the achievements of his administration since he mounted the saddle.
He observed that Otuaro had quietly carried out well-thought-out reforms to reposition the PAP for better and quality service delivery.The first-class monarch, who stated this when the PAP boss visited him at his palace in Okochiri at the weekend stressed that Otuaro had demonstrated that he has capacity to pilot the affairs of the programme.
The monarch added that Otuaro’s commitment and passion for efficient service to the people of the Niger Delta were not in doubt.King Tom cautioned those he described as the detractors of Otuaro to stop their distractive activities, and allow him to concentrate on his job.
According to him, the ill-advised attempts by some characters to pull down Otuaro were condemnable and not in the best interest of the region, delegates and beneficiaries of the PAP.
He described Otuaro as a serious-minded Niger Deltan and a product of the struggle who believes in wide consultation and collaboration with stakeholders for the success of the programme.
The former frontline freedom fighter thanked President Bola Tinubu for appointing Otuaro, stressing that the president made the right choice in his decision.
His words: “Mr (PAP) Administrator, I want to commend you for all that you are doing to better the programme for our people and our region. Since your appointment, I have watched keenly how you have made progress and recorded laudable achievements.
“You are doing well, and that’s why I want to advise people who are not happy over your appointment to stop distracting you. Must we pull our people down, everytime? I call on them to support you instead of doing the unpleasant things they are doing.
“We know you as a person that likes to consult and also collaborate with stakeholders. It is not surprising because as someone who was in the struggle, you have not disappointed us, and we trust that you will not disappoint us.
“The President made the best choice for giving you the position of Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme because you are a very serious-minded person, and we have confidence in your ability to better the programme in terms of service delivery for our people.”
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