Itsekiri Group Commends Buhari For Appointing Boroh As Amnesty Coordinator

• Says DESOPADEC Bill Proposed By Okowa Is Satanic

The Itsekiri National Development Initiative (INDI) has hailed President Muhammed Buhari over the appointment of Brig-Gen Paul Boroh (rtd), an experience man in the area of peace and conflict management to coordinate the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP).

The new coordinator will no doubt bring his experience acquired over the years to bear in the implementation of the programme.

“We have no doubt also before now that President Muhammed Buhari will strengthen and reorganised the management of the programme to achieve optimum result that will ensure equity, justice, fair play and peace,” the group said.

In a statement released by the Chairman and Secretary of the group, Comrade Dennis Mene and Tsaye Edeyibo, stated that the welcome the appointment as it is coming at the right time.

The Group urged the newly appointed coordinator to be careful with sycophants and not toe the line of immediate past government when other ethnic nationalities such as the Itsekiri Amnesty beneficiaries were constantly marginalised.

The chairman further stated that from the 500 given to the Itsekiri ethnic nationality only about 100 have been sponsored for their programmes since 2011. Others have being left to attend benefit all on the excuse of no funds while their Ijaw counter parts travels regularly for their programmes.

“We call for the speedy reorganisation of the programmes to allow those who have already gotten admission letters for September 2015 to travel for their various programmes/training. Meanwhile the authority should know that we have more than twenty-five ethnic nationalities that constituted the Niger Delta region and who have in one way or the other contributed meaningfully to the Niger Delta struggle and self determination dream of the region, stressing that when it comes to the sharing the dividends of the struggle they are usually hijacked by only the Ijaws and every other ethnic nationalities are treated as second class citizens, such action is against principle justice, fairness and equity as contained in the Nigerian constitution,” the group said.

“We warn that the Niger Delta is not synonymous with the Ijaws alone. In another development we reject the proposed DESOPADEC amendment bill before the Delta state House of Assembly this amendment bill is satanic and a rape of our God given resources.

We as a group also rejects the replacement of Oil and Gas producing areas for Oil and Gas Ethnic Nationalities, the representation of members on the basis of senatorial districts and finally the compositions of the commission from five ethnic nationalities to eight ethnic nationalities,” the group said.

The group further states that projects, programmes and wages should be shared based on quantum of oil rather than population and power. The group warned that their patience and civility should not be taken for cowardice.