July 30, (THEWILL) – The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr. Dennis Otuaro, has described President Bola Tinubu as a youth-friendly leader.
Otuaro stated this on Tuesday, in his remarks at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Executive Management Engagement with Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders and Selected Stakeholders themed, “Let Us Build Together”, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.
A statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Igoniko Oduma, quoted the PAP Administrator as having urged the people of Niger Delta to own the administration of Tinubu because of his youth-friendliness and love for the region.
According to him, the President’s favourable disposition was the reason he appointed him as the PAP Administrator and Samuel Ogbuku as the Managing Director of the NDDC, among others.
Otuaro enjoined the people to be patient with Tinubu as he had initiated reforms under his Renewed Hope Agenda to revamp Nigeria’s economy and also fast-track development in the Niger Delta.
He reiterated his call for the sustenance of peace and security in the Niger Delta and urged youths to shun the proposed nationwide protest on August 1, saying they should not allow any group of persons to force them to go back to the old ways.
Otuaro noted that the President was supporting the Programme tremendously to achieve its mandate for the region. He said in line with this, the PAP had designed a scheme to empower more than 1,000 youths who had been engaged this year.
He stated that under the education policy of the programme, the Office would increase the number of scholarship beneficiaries to accommodate 500 Niger Delta students to study in universities.
Otuaro also disclosed that the PAP prioritises women in its stakeholders’ policy, adding that the Office would, in the nearest future, hold a women’s summit to interface with the region’s female folk.
He commended the NDDC for organising the sensitisation meeting, and pledged PAP’s readiness to partner with the interventionist agency.
He said, “The government of President Bola Tinubu is a youth-friendly government, and he really loves the Niger Delta. I was at the NDDC before he appointed me to head the Presidential Amnesty Programme Office, and Samuel Ogbuku is the Managing Director of the NDDC.
“Therefore, it is time for us to own the administration of Tinubu. Let us not join the protests. We need to be patient with him for his reforms to materialise. Nobody should make us go back to the old ways.
“This year in the PAP, we have a programme to empower over 1000 of our youths. In education, we are going to expand scholarship to 500 beneficiaries of the PAP scholarship scheme.
“For our women, they are our priority. We have had stakeholders meeting with ex-agitators, we are also going to hold another meeting involving women only. In that meeting, our women will articulate their issues. I will not impose anything on our women. The meeting will cut across the Niger Delta. We will partner with the NDDC, we already have the manpower.”
Among dignitaries present at the event were Senate President, Godswill Akpabio; Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu; Chairman, Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong; National Chairman of PANDEF, Emmanuel Ibok Essien; President of Ijaw National Congress, Prof. Benjamin Okaba; President of Ijaw Youth Council, Jonathan Lokpobiri; Niger Delta female activist, AnnKio Briggs; Alhaji Mujahid Asari Dokubo, and the Ologbotsere of Warri Kingdom, Ayiri Emami, among others.
Amos Okioma is a Correspondent at THEWILL
