The Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Maj.- Gen. Barry Tariye Ndiomu (rtd) has continued to face attacks from unpatriotic elements despite his untiring efforts to absolve beneficiaries of the amnesty into the federal government agencies after training.
In 2017 the Federal Government directed that 350 best graduates of the Presidential Amnesty Programme be given employment. The order was to be facilitated by the Vice President Prof Yemi Osinbajo however, no meaningful progress was made on this over the years by other Administrators of the PAP, according to sources.
Ndiomu during a recent visit to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Alkali Baba Usman at the Police Headquarters in Abuja solicited the support of the Police High Command in the recruitment of ex-agitators to its rank and file and officers’ Corp.
A statement by the Special Adviser Media to the Interim administrator, Thomas Peretu, Gen Ndiomu revealed that the PAP has over the years trained a lot of youths from the Niger Delta region who would fit into manpower needs of the Police.
Ndiomu while appreciating the Police High Command for providing security services at PAP offices and facilities in Abuja and across the Niger Delta region also called on the Service to absolve the beneficiaries.
In his response, the IGP who expressed disappointment by low turnout of potential recruits from the region at recruitment exercises conducted in the past years,added that the quota of South South region was rarely filled despite efforts to encourage the enlistment of young men from the region.
The IGP assured that the Police was ever ready to partner with the PAP in the recruitment of officers especially at the grassroots.
He said the Police has put in place structures for better emoluments and career advancement.
IGP Usman stressed that the Police will assist the PAP in the area of criminal investigation when such cases are brought to its attention.
He said “Infractions in the agency must not be not be swept under the carpet”.
The Police Chief added that the element of punishment in law efforcement will be brought into force to avoid recurrence of criminal acts in the organisation.
The Interim Administrator had also sought employment of ex-agitators into the federal civil service and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) at different fora.
The Interim Administrator during a courtesy visit to the NSCDC Commandant-General, Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi and other management members at the NSCDC headquarters in Abuja appealed for the gainful employment of ex-agitators in the NSCDC.
The both leaders while deliberating on ways to absolve the trained ex-agitators into the Corps also exchanged ideas on how to move the entire nation forward, especially the Niger Delta.
Ndiomu gracefully appealed to Audi to consider employing ex-agitators in the recruitment of personnel for pipeline protection and surveillance across the region.
He said, “I believe that the Presidential Amnesty Programme presents a wonderful opportunity for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to draw from, which is essentially why I have come. I hope that you will lend me a listening ear; so that we will leave here with some good news to relay back to the ex-agitators.
“It has gotten to my knowledge that the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps is about to recruit a thousand personnel for pipeline protection and surveillance jobs. We have done a lot to ensure that some of the activities of miscreants within the society in the Niger Delta are checked.
“Considering the fact that we have these young men and women that we have trained in the Niger Delta and in spite training them, we are also expected to provide them gainful employment. This has been my focal interest since I assumed office because quite a few of them have been trained but have not been gainfully employed.
“ we should have a workable partnership between the Presidential Amnesty Programme and your good office, considering the fact that the objectives are similar because our job is primarily to ensure peace and security across the Niger Delta, including pipeline protection and surveillance.”
Ndiomu asserted therefore that PAP was in a position to vouch for the disciplinary state of ex-agitators for the past 12 years of its establishment.
He concluded, “We can tell you who is disciplined and has the capacity to work with you in the Niger Delta and we have their data.
“So, I plead with the Commandant-General that you accept our proposition so we can make available to you these able-bodied young men and women to work with you in the best interest of our country, especially in securing the pipelines and other infrastructure across the Niger Delta.”
In his response, Audi extolling the virtues of NSCDC personnel said the agency is best placed to ensure the protection and surveillance of pipelines in the Niger Delta and promised to present Ndiomu’s proposition to the Minister of Interior.
“ I have heard all you said. The PAP deals with ex-agitators in the Niger Delta. You baptize them, train them and it is also your responsibility to reintegrate them back into the society. Part of the reintegration is this issue that you have come this afternoon to seek.
“This service is ready to accept your proposition. A parable says, an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. Now, if you train these people and at the end you are not able to provide jobs for them, it may lead to crisis. I will transmit what you have told me to my Minister and table it to the board for possible consideration.”
The Chief of the Naval Staff Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo had also during the maiden convocation of Admiralty University pledged to recruit Presidential Amnesty Programme sponsored graduates into the service.
Despite these efforts, the Interim Administrator has faced criticism following his assumption of office as the programme’s helmsman who has exposed several anomalies in the scheme.
Sources knowledgeable of the amnesty programme said General Ndiomu was facing criticism because he has unravelled years of fraudulent practices and multiple stipend frauds.
He said “In the last few months, various petitions, and accusations have come from individuals claiming to be beneficiaries of the programme. This might not be unconnected to the recent clampdown of ghost payments made by the previous administration in the Amnesty Office which has caused the current backlash on the Interim Administrator, Major Gen. Ndiomu Rtd .
“Just recently, the amnesty office under the leadership of Major Gen. Ndiomu Rtd. released a list of names who have been receiving duplicate payments from the office. This fraud was carried out through payments to pseudo names, which after BVN verifications, it was discovered that multiple entries had the same BVN linking to individuals and bulk payments to group heads, which after scrutiny, it was realized that the actual beneficiaries never get their stipends.
“This mismanagement has been going on for close to 2 years and might be a reason for the termination of Milland Dikio’s administration.
“The last administration in the amnesty office had numerous issues, ranging from this recently revealed diversion of stipends and companies owned by aides of the then Interim Administrator being awarded contracts for doing nothing. These contracts ran into billions of Naira.”
Leadership gathered that following a verification exercise carried out on the payment list of beneficiaries of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), on the orders of Ndiomu, a host of irregularities were discovered, these include the existence of multiple account numbers linked to Bank Verification Numbers of several beneficiaries.
Pundits wondered whether other Administrators didn’t see the fraud or they saw it and kept blind eyes.
In 2017 the Federal Government directed that 350 best graduates of the Presidential Amnesty Programme be given employment. The order was to be facilitated by the Vice President Prof Yemi Osinbajo however, no meaningful progress was made on this over the years by other Administrators of the PAP, accordingto sources.
“Now General Ndiomu is now running with it to ensure that those 350 Best Graduating students get their placements with his meeting with the Head of Service of the Federal, who now promise to take some meaningful number. Also with his meeting and engagement with the commandant General of Nigerian Civil Defence Corp, who also gave commitment to enrol some meaningful number of these beneficiaries. General Ndiomu is neck deep and committed in ensuring that this process is done.Even some persons who have trained and empowered are still receiving stipends and even some staff of the Presidential Amnesty Office”
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