By Binebai Princewill

Critical stakeholders in the Niger Delta region operating under the auspices of Ijaws in Oil and Gas has stated that making Chief Dennis Otuaro, the coordinator of the Amnesty programme and adviser to the president on Niger Delta affairs would be the best thing that will ever happen to the people of the region at the moment.

This was contained in a press statement issued to newsmen in Warri, a copy of which was sent to The Liberator Newspaper, signed by National Coordinator of Ijaws in Oil and Gas, Comr. Ebipams Johnny.

The National Coordinator noted that Niger Deltans would not want to joke with their development any longer, stressing that the highly exalted office of the Amnesty office has been raped and abused over the years especially with Prof. Charles Dokubo.

The statement reads in part: “Imagine bastardizing the original design of the presidential amnesty program and turning it into Better life for rural women development program

“It is a shame and it’s time the Ijaw leaders call Prof. Dokubo to order. Many of the Ex-militants today are in regrets accepting the presidential amnesty seeing that they are yet to be integrated back to the society; a process which was originally put in place by Prof Charles Dokubo Predecessors to ensure that these youths are gainfully employed by the IOCs. This was the originating factor to the crisis in 2009.

“We don’t want to be in our platforms and oil rig working in fear, hence we are calling on presidential Buhari to get the youths of the Niger Delta engaged in the amnesty program; youths who have being part of the struggle and not some classroom Prof who at grin of amnesty funds has suddenly found a new hobby in partying especially at the time when insecurity is an issue in our country.

“As a body of professionals in the core sector that drives the entire economy of this nation- Oil and Gas we are concerned that the evil days will re-surface if care isn’t taken hence we are calling on the President to holistically look at engaging these youths who are product of the struggle in handling affairs that has to do with Niger Delta.”

Comr. Ebipams particularly noted that appointing Chief Otuaro as the Amnesty boss would mean a transformation of the programme, stressing that as a product of the struggle, he knows what to do to revamp the programme.

The statement asserted that the sacrifice and contributions of Chief Dennis Otuaro towards the growth and development of the Niger Delta region earned him such appointment, stressing that with him at the Amnesty boss, better days are here.

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