Pauline Onyibe 
The First Phase Ex-Agitators of the Presidential Amnesty Programme have said that despite threats, from the office, aggrieved beneficiaries of the amnesty programme will continue to speak until issues relating to misappropriation bedeviling the programme are uncovered.
The Chairman of the first phase ex-agitators leadership forum Bayelsa State Chapter, Charles Kurobo gave the assurance on Tuesday in Yenagoa while reacting to a statement in which the PAP Interim Administrator warned those duly captured as PAP beneficiaries who are taking part in spreading false narratives against him and the amnesty office will be dealt with in accordance with the extant laws of the programme.
Korubo stated that the enquiries of ex-agitators into the anomalies of the amnesty programme are not intended to witch-hunt any individual as the PAP office makes it seem but to draw the attention of relevant authorities to how ex-agitators are denied access to vital information that will help them achieve economic integration and build their potentials to generate or gain employment.
He also alleged that if not for the support of Monarchs from the Niger Delta region who are supposed to be a catalyst for human capital and social development in the Niger Delta, Ndiomu wouldn’t have chosen to issue a threat to well-meaning beneficiaries of the programme who genuinely making contributions on how he can better improve and achieve the mandates of the programme.
The statement read, “We will continue to air our concerns as we possibly can till attention is drawn to the precarious nature and style of the current administration of the PAP. Our enquiries are not ill-intended as the PAP makes it seems but the unexpected defences baffle us.
“They deny us access to vital information with respect to economic integration and why we still lack the potential to generate or gain employment and develop better use of our resources through the spread of technological knowledge as promised by the program when we gave up arms in 2009.
“We cannot be forced to be silent even though a serving or retired military general is involved. We complained of misappropriation, denial of benefits and other entitlements or cause for review where necessary but the Interim Administrator of the PAP is quick to put the integrity and credibility of the Nigerian banks to question.
“Even when we all know that it is impossible to run two accounts without linking them to your single BVN. Even if it is just an alphabet that is missing from any of the details linked to a BVN you cannot achieve it.
“This makes the challenges before the leadership of the ex-agitators forum onerous. Having to manage those who have been denied training, empowerment and recently, monthly stipend, is always on our neck day and night. And in most cases, they don’t believe us when we say that the PAP has maintained deaf ears on our pleas.
“But the best way forward is through peaceful resolution and we will continue to toe that path. We have waited and waited but the disconnect between the Amnesty office, its coordinator and the ex-agitators leadership is getting wider by each passing day and sadly, Kings from the region, who are supposed to be catalysts for human capital and social development in the Niger Delta, have chosen to support him.” The statement concluded.
