The Coalition of Niger Delta Ex-Agitators, NCNDEA has commended the Interim Administrator of the Niger Delta Presidential Amnesty Programme, Col. Milland Dikio, on the prompt payment of stipends to ex-militants before the end of the month, stating that it has never been that rosy since the creation of the office.

This was made known in a press release signed by through its national Coordinator, Eshanekpe Israel, a.k.a Akpodoro, Tuesday in Abuja.

Eshanekpe, a frontline ex-militant leader and said past co-ordinators of the Programme never paid stipend to former warlords before the end of the month, maintaining that the president had made the best choice in his appointment of the retired army officer.

The Urhobo-born ex-militant leader stated it was necessary for the beneficiaries of early stipends from the new management of the Amnesty Programme to appreciate the “evolving new era” in the affairs of the office adding that the National Security Adviser to the President, Babagana Monguno, also deserves commendation for ensuring a new administration of the amnesty programme.

Going down memory lane, Akpodoro, who is also the Coordinator of Urhobo Youth Forum for Change, UYFC stated that a time was when ex-militants were owed 3-month arrears.

The Coalition called on the Interim Administrator not to allow himself to be derailed by those he called hangers-on who have been the banana peels of past managers of the intervention agency.

Eshanekpe urged ex-militants to rally round the current management of the agency and by extension the Buhari administration adding that the All Progressives Congress, APC-led Federal Government was doing its best to develop the delta region in particular and the country at large in all its policies and programmes.

He called on the Federal Government to round off the activities of the Interim Management Committee, of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC and swear-in the Pius Odubu-led Board, which he said was duly screened by the Senate.