Non-release of Amnesty Funds Threatening Gains Recorded in N’Delta, Senate Warns

To probe bid by FRSC to sell speed limiters to motorists

Damilola Oyedele

The Senate yesterday said the non-release of funds to the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) is threatening to erode the gains recorded by restoration of peace to the Niger Delta region, and may cause a resurgence of militant activities.

The non-release of the N15 billion vired in the 2016 budget to complement the N20 billion appropriated for the programme, has resulted in PAP struggling to meet its obligations to its workers and beneficiaries of the amnesty programme, the Senate said.

The Senate therefore urged the Minister of Finance to release the balance sum of N15 billion in the 2016 Appropriation Act for the funding of the amnesty programme.

It also directed its Committee on Niger Delta to investigate the circumstances leading to the funding constraints and to investigate how Abia and Akwa Ibom States were shortchanged in the composition of beneficiaries, by impersonation of some of their indigenes.

The resolutions were sequel to a motion sponsored by Senator Peter Nwaoboshi (Delta North) who noted that the situation is becoming very serious and is capable of truncating the lofty programme, as tensions and threats are already palpable in the Niger Delta region, and among the beneficiaries at home and abroad.

Nwaoboshi added that 30,000 beneficiaries of N65,000 monthly allowance are being owed for five months, while the programme was owing N1.87 billion to local universities in addition to N830,500.00 backlog of unpaid in-training allowance.

“The educational programme (Offshore) is suffering the same fate as unpaid in-training allowances for 750 students between 2016 and 2017 amounted to US$4,200,000. equivalent of N1,332,000,000 and unpaid tuition fee for 350 students amounting to the sum of US$17,500,000 equivalent of N512,500,000.”

“Note also that in 2016, the Vocational Training Unit projected to train 1,770 due to lack of fund and worst still, many people are pressing to be included in the amnesty programme, failure for which they are threatening to go back into agitation and militancy, which they have earlier renounced,” the senator added.

Nwaoboshi lamented that 70 per cent of the 637 students in various institutions in 27 countries who are expected to graduate at the end of the 2016/2017 academic year may not be able to do so, due to non-payment of tuition fees.

“Currently, more than 80 per cent have been excluded from studies and if the tuition fees are not promptly settled, this may lead to their repeat of the whole academic session, thus compounding the financial burden. Moreover, about 100 graduates are currently stranded in the United States of America, Malaysia, United Kingdom and South Africa, awaiting their October, 2016 to January, 2017 allowances to enable them settle their bills and return to Nigeria,” Nwaoboshi said.

Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South) called for investigation into how indigenes of the Abia State, were replaced with non-indigenies.

“In the presence of the Vice President, fictitious names were listed for Abia, as indigenes of the state,” he said.

Senator Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom North West) said there were similar instances in his state, when during a visit to some of the schools in London, non-indigenes were discovered occupying the slots of Akwa Ibom state.

In another development, the Senate also directed its Committee on Federal Character to investigate the proposal by the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) to mandate motorists to install speed limiters, which would be purchased from the commission, in their vehicles.

The resolution was sequel to a point of order raised by Senator Dino Melaye the (Kogi West) who noted that policy would cause further hardship for Nigerians.

Melaye added that the policy is a draconian move, and urged the Senate to protect Nigerians from it.