December Deadline for Termination of Amnesty Programme too soon – IYC

Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide has condemned the December Deadline set by President Mohammadu Buhari for the termination of the Presidential Amnesty Programme saying that projects and programmes that will make the Niger Delta more effective have to be created.

The IYC in a statement on Sunday by its spokesperson, Mr. Eric Omare, said the council understand that fact that the programme cannot continue forever, the statement read “However, the questions on the lips of beneficiaries and stakeholders in the Niger Delta region are: what would happen to those that have not been trained at as at December 2015 and those still undergoing training or have not completed their training?

“The termination of the programme would throw up challenges for beneficiaries of the programme who are still undergoing training and are at different levels of their training. The IYC expects the Federal Government to address the fear of these classes of ex-agitators who are in different parts of the world and are worried that their training may be affected if the programme is terminated in December, 2015.

“The case of a substantial number of ex-agitators who have not been trained is even more worrisome. The IYC call on the government to address these challenges before the programme is terminated. The government should streamline projects and programmes in the Niger Delta region to make them more effective.

“The IYC would support any patriotic step of the government to strengthen institutions responsible for the development of the Niger Delta region in order to rapidly develop the region.”

The group added that the President failed to address issues like implementation of the UNEP report on Ogoni and tackling the menace of oil theft which had greatly contributed to environmental degradation in the Niger Delta.

The group said “We are disappointed that President Buhari failed to address these key issues which are dear to the Niger Delta people in his inaugural speech and thereby raising questions as to his sincerity to fulfill his promises to the Niger Delta people.”