Pains, gains of Amnesty Programme

By Paul Boroh

The Presidential Amnesty Programme has had its best experiences in the last 12 months, but it has also had its greatest challenges within the same period. These were trying times both for the office and Amnesty beneficiaries, as we had to contend with achieving much with little resources.
Perhaps our greatest achievement is contributing to the maintenance of peace in the Niger Delta, which has resulted in zero vandalism of oil facilities. The winning strategy is President Buhari’s hands-on approach to the region. The visits of the Vice-President which have taken him to oil-producing states with the full participation of the state governments and people, is a winning formula which has solidified the relationship between the region and the administration.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s visits are deepening and consolidating the bond between the people and the Buhari administration; a partnership that opens wide, the road to sustainable peace and development of the Niger Delta. Secondly, they revealed the government’s vision of transforming the oil communities into hubs for refining petrochemicals and related activities, which will not only create mass employment and make the country self-sufficient in petroleum products, but will also save the country the huge foreign exchange expended in importation of such products.

The government’s agenda to build modular refineries would be a big leap forward as it will in addition, check the rash of illegal refineries that are further destroying the environment and damaging the health of the people in the region.
They should take advantage of the window of opportunity opened by the Federal Government’s commendable move in bridging the communication gap between the oil companies and Bayelsa State.

It is advisable that oil companies expand such cooperation to other oil producing states to guarantee peace, oil their business interests and ensure the needed development in the region.
We have no time to waste because the odds are not in our favour. We must be aware that oil is a wasting asset; it will eventually dry up and that more oil is being discovered in other parts of the world. These, along with fracking, will lead to oil glut. All these, with the polluted environment of the region, have serious consequences for the future of the Niger Delta.
In the  2015/2016 Academic Year, the Presidential Amnesty Office deployed  1,294 delegates in  various universities in the country,  recording 681 graduates with 14 of them graduating First Class, and 84 Second Class Upper. In fact, the Benson Idahosa University retained as lecturers, four of our students who had First Class.

The performance of our students abroad was even more stunning. A total of 454 of them graduated mainly from British universities with 20 graduating First Class and 41, Second Class Upper. Also, we have ensured the effective management of our students abroad through the collaboration of the Amnesty Office and our embassies and high commissions. This has led to remarkable reduction in our student agitations.
Also, from 2015 to 2016, we deployed 1,603 delegates in training centres in the country, we graduated 1,230 of them. A total 196 delegates are currently in training, but regrettably, the training of 177 of them is on hold due to logistical reasons.
In the same period, the Amnesty Office empowered 1,453 delegates with various starter-packs, including shop rentals, while 966 of them were taken through refresher training.

A survey by the Monitoring and Evaluation Team observed that those we empowered made profits, which means that their businesses like trees planted by the river side, have survived and are sprouting. No mean achievement under our skies.
The Presidential Amnesty Programme has not only succeeded in helping to stabilise the Niger Delta,  but has also worked in synergy with all government agencies, including the NDDC, Local Content Board, NIMASA, NNPC and ministries, such as those of Niger Delta Affairs, Agriculture and Environment.

Perhaps the greatest impact we have created in the last one year is the reorientation of beneficiaries to agriculture and aquaculture as an alternative to revamp the ailing economy. Presently, we have youths undergoing advanced agriculture technological training in these fields, while various state governments in the region have made lands available to us for extensive farming, or have promised to do so. Our Model Farming Initiative designed to provide 5,000 sustainable jobs in the region, keys into Mr. President’s   programme of creating employment and wealth through farming as well as ensuring food security in the country.

The main challenge the Presidential Amnesty Office has faced is inadequate funds. Due to this, tuition fees of some students both in local and international universities have not been paid. These are mainly in the UK, USA, Philippines, Belarus and South Africa.
Also, training in most of the vocation centres has stopped affecting 1,770 delegates. This has led to the swell in the number of those projected to be trained in 2017, which were 4,770 persons.

Inadequate funding has also limited the capacity of the Office to empower delegates and exit them from the programme.
The Presidential Amnesty Office is immensely grateful to the President for not only sustaining the programme and giving it priority, but also for his practical and demonstrable commitment to the Niger Delta. We are also grateful to the government and people of the oil producing states for their patience and support for the Federal Government and the initiatives it is taking, and also for maintaining the peace.

Equally, we are grateful to the beneficiaries and workers of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, who have endured through the challenges; the worse is over, and together, we shall work towards sustained peace and the development of the region. Also, our thanks to our sister agencies, and our local and international development partners for the unquantifiable support.
Finally, our gratitude to Nigerians for their understanding and support. We pledge our continued loyalty to the dynamic and result-oriented administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, and to you all.

Brig-Gen. Boroh (retd) is Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme

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