Seyi Tayese, Yenagoa
The leadership of the Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND), has called for the upward review of funds meant for the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), considering the present economic hardship in the country.
National President of MOSIEND, Dr. Kennedy West, who made the call on the Federal Government during a chat with our correspondent on Wednesday in Yenagoa, said until PAP is adequately funded, the fight against oil theft and pipeline vandalisation would be an illusion.
He said, “It is unfair that the Federal Government did not consider present economic hardship and reality to review the funds going into Amnesty Programme upwards.”
West further stated that a lot of the former Niger Delta militants, especially those living within oil-bearing communities, have gone back to the illegal bunkering business because they have lost hope in the Amnesty Programme of the Federal Government.
He said, “Until Amnesty Programme is adequately funded, the issue of oil theft and pipeline vandalisation will be an illusion. Reason being that the Amnesty Programme has suffered a lot of setback getting to nine years now.
“The hopes and aspirations of the spirit and letter that brought about the Amnesty Programme is dwindling seriously and without remorse on the part of the Federal Government. This is owning to the fact that the former militants in the Niger Delta did not do what is called ‘arms buyback’. It was out of their own volition that they decided to drop their arms for the purpose of peace and Nigeria to get back to its economic boom.
“Recall that the ugly days of the insurgency in the Niger Delta, reduced oil production to about 700 barrels per day from about 2.5 million barrels per day. When they surrendered their arms, it bounced back to 2.2 million barrels per day.
“Currently, even with the contract given to indigenous players to man the pipelines, why is it that there is still drastic reduction in oil production? It is because most of the people who live within the oil and gas producing communities have gone back to the same trade. That is because they have lost hope in the Amnesty Programme.
“Recall that the N65 billion that the Amnesty Programme is using to service areas of education, areas of community sustainability development and all of that come from that meagre N65 billion, which was proposed by Dr. Kingsley Kuku, the former Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs and Administrator of Presidential Amnesty Programme.”
