By Emem Idio, Yenagoa

YENAGOA -The leadership of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) Phase 2 has rejected allegations of marginalization raised in an online petition by a group of ex-agitators, insisting that ongoing reforms under the current administration are restoring the programme to its original purpose.

National Chairman of PAP Phase 2, Ibena Rufus Salvation, stated that the claims were misleading and aimed at discrediting the reforms being implemented by the Administrator, Dr Dennis Brutu Otuaro.

He said the Administrator has shown capacity, competence and transparency since assuming office.

He described some of the petitioners as “privileged beneficiaries” who, according to him, had benefited from the programme in the past without making meaningful contributions to the Niger Delta struggle.

“The names appearing on the so-called petition are people who were privileged beneficiaries but have no activities to show during the Niger Delta struggle,” he stated.

Ibena stressed that the Presidential Amnesty Programme is not an avenue for sharing contracts, noting that the office was created to rehabilitate and reintegrate genuine ex-agitators, not to award projects.

“PAP is not the Ministry of Works or NDDC that gives out fake contracts. Those looking for contracts should go to other ministries,” he said.

The national chairman challenged those accusing the programme of marginalisation to show their activities and give the addresses and locations of their camps during the Niger Delta struggle.

On training and empowerment, Ibena said the Stakeholders Leadership Alternative Dispute Resolution training is progressing smoothly as the second batch is currently ongoing at the Nigerian Army Resorts Centre, Abuja, while the third batch will be coming up in January.

He also added that the beneficiaries were being selected in a transparent manner.

He dismissed claims that first-phase ex-agitators were excluded from the training programmes, describing such allegations as false.

“Funny enough, the names appearing as petitioners were among the first batch of people who attended the ongoing training before this current second batch,” Ibena said.

The Phase 2 chairman warned that continued spread of misinformation could undermine peace in the Niger Delta and urged the Federal Government to take note of what he described as attempts to sabotage progress.

“Mr President should take note of such characters who are enemies of progress and desperately bent on sabotaging the programme,” he added.

Ibena maintained that under Dr Otuaro, the Amnesty Programme has been revived for the benefit of genuine ex-agitators, with loopholes blocked and wasteful practices stopped.

“The current Administrator has brought the programme back to life for the original owners and beneficiaries. It is no longer business as usual, where contracts were awarded beyond the annual budget,” he stated.