Senator Commends FG On Amnesty Programme

Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Down-Stream) Senator Magnus Abe on Monday, said that the post amnesty rehabilitation programme for former Niger Delta militants has yielded the desired results.

Abe, who represents Rivers South East Senatorial District, told The Tide in Lagos that the skill acquisition and re-education component of the programme had served as “potent weapon of reintegration”.

“In terms of the long term interest of the people of the area, I will commend the present approach by the present manager of the amnesty programme, which is focused on education.

“Any money put into education is not wasted because such investment will always yield something positive at the end of the day.

“I commend late President Umar Yar’Adua who initiated the amnesty programme and I equally commend the focus with which President Goodluck Jonathan has brought into it”.

He noted that the programme had also led to increase in oil production for the nation and greatly reduced violence in the region.

“The amnesty programme has drastically reduced violence in the region and created a ray of hope for the nation’s economic growth and progress”.

Abe, however, disagreed with the practice of giving money to the former militants , saying it would not augur well for the nation in the long run.

“Paying money to people who were not doing anything, is like giving opportunities to people who have not earned their weight properly in the society.  The long term effect may not be helpful to the society.

“I do not subscribe to payment of money to the militants