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Why We rejected the Draft Workplan of the Presidential Committee on Amnesty

January 24, 2010
Image removed.The Presidential Committee on Amnesty: Since the presidential declaration of amnesty by Umar Yar’Adua, the Presidential Committee on Amnesty (PCA) has not been really able to establish itself on a sound footing. The PCA created a working draft (draft work-plan) for rehabilitating so-called ex-militants by relying too much on the structures of Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (SMEDAN) and National Poverty Alleviation Programme (NAPEP) led by Dr. Magnus Kpakol.
The failure of that work-plan was actively driven by the fact that people like Magnus Kpakol who was drafted from a university in the United States of America to become Olusegun Obasanjo’s Chief Economic Adviser (before he lost his job to Charles Soludo) has no knowledge of how economic processes work in Nigeria. To succeed in our economic spheres, you must understand native economics.

Magnus Kpakol and his bunch sat together to develop a draft document that included a list of non-existent and ill equipped training centers that were to be used as training centers for ex-militants.

We wish to state very clearly that SMEDAN, NAPEP and NDE are failed institutions and must never be given any role to play in the campaign for reorientation and rehabilitation of the heroic young men of the Niger Delta who have decided to lay down their arms for the sake of peace.

SMEDAN, NAPEP and NDE do not understand the pains of the people of the Niger Delta. Neither do they understand the aspirations and desires of ex-combatants. Their pedigree of failure must not be used to cloud the great vision of our young men.

But for the timely intervention General Boyloaf and his representative on the amnesty committee Selekaye Victor Ben, that draft document would have been endorsed and accepted without recourse to the aspirations of the young men for whom the various reorientation and rehabilitation programs were being designed for.

With the support of General Boyloaf, the members of the PCA subcommittee on rehabilitation and reorientation and all the leaders of ex-militants groups who had accepted amnesty as well as representatives were called together and hosted in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State.

After due deliberations, the PCA workplan was rejected and a committee was raised to look into the document, define critical areas and then make recommendations where necessary. This committee actively included Patterson Ogon (chairman), Jonathan Owoupele, Hilda Dokubo, Marshall Kunoun and Goodluck Emine.

Observations and recommendations raised by this committee included the fact that more than 90% of the N52 billion voted for Post Amnesty Rehabilitation was directed at the welfare of consultants and not the young men who are supposed to be rehabilitated and trained.

The committee also carried out an inspection of PCA suggested training centers in Yenagoa, Port Harcourt and Uyo discovered that more than 98% of the suggested training centers (computer centers, tailoring centers, cobbler shops, mechanic workshops etc) were non-existent, ill-equipped, non-accredited and non-recognized. It was a particularly painful experience for the inspection and verification team.

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Observations and recommendations of the Patterson Ogon led team is summarized as follows:

1.      In spite of the declaration of amnesty, a large number of Niger Delta youths are still in detention. This shows a double standard position of peace and war.

2.      that more orientation and training camps be set up across the Niger Delta preferably in places like Cross Rivers State with large acres of virgin which can be equipped and transformed with temporary structures to contain the large numbers of trainees.

3.      The institutions recommended by the PCA for training are a sham. Almost all of them are ill-equipped, non-accredited and non recognized.

4.      We believe that the current stated numbers (20,000) of those who have accepted amnesty is far over blown. Current numbers should be verified from leaders of agitating groups.

5.      Oil & Gas Training was not given adequate mention in the PCA work plan.

6.      All training centers endorsed for training must have atleast a National Accreditation that gives it authority to award appropriately recognized certificates which are acceptable at all levels of employment.

7.      World class oil and gas training centers such as Petro-Skills, Univation and Maritime Academy Oron should be co-opted to assist in the development of oil and gas training programmes.

We are aware that the Godwin Abbe-led PCA has accepted the recommendations and observations of the sub-committee. We hope this acceptance will be true and honest.

 

Niger Delta Development Commission

So far, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has been the most responsive agency amongst key stakeholders in the post amnesty process.

Through the efforts of its Executive Director in charge of Projects Architect Esoetok Etteh and a special adviser to the managing director who is the founding president of the Ijaw Youth Council Felix Tuodolor, leaders of ex-militant groups have been provided with interventionist palliatives to enable them add value to their communities.

As a result, many of them have been able to recommend the development of particular projects such as roads etc in the various communities.

 

VP Goodluck Jonathan

Goodluck Jonathan remains a principal reason why the Yar’ Adua amnesty declaration enjoyed wide acceptance across the length of the Niger Delta. Goodluck Jonathan is a generational leader and people like him come just once in a long while.

His insistence on a non-violent struggle has put us at loggerheads in times before but we have recognized that we do not have the power to undermine him. Somewhere in his genes is an endorsement by the gods.

While he awaits the return of his boss, it is within our unction to pray the Good Lord to give him the wisdom to guide the ship of the Nigerian state.

In a Niger Delta governed by some of the most corrupt human beings on earth, Goodluck Jonathan remains a fresh of breath air. For now and so far, he is the best there is. He needs to be given the benefit of doubt.

The Niger struggle today has been overtaken by whoremongers, prostitutes, bandit elements, rent seekers, political gangsters, benefit captors and treasury looters. It is important the Vice President keeps his distance from such elements. These people remain the real problem of the Niger Delta.

We will continue to watch the evolving process.

 

The struggle is on course.

 


Spokesperson, Joint Revolutionary Council

(Comprising alliance units of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, The Reformed Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force and The Martyrs Brigade)

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