A former President of Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide, Dr Onyifie Jonjon, has called for the rejigging of the amnesty deal signed between the Federal Government and repentant militants of the Niger Delta.
The administration of deceased President Umaru Yar’Adua signed the amnesty deal with the repentant militants in 2009, and it came into effect on August 6 of that year.
Speaking with The Tide’s source in Yenagoa, Dr Jonjon said the current execution of the deal was skewed against Niger Delta brokers of the deal.
Noting that the execution rewarded violence-prone people instead, Jonjon stressed that those who brokered the amnesty deal had been side-lined and left in the cold.
He added that it was regrettable and discouraging that society seemed to neglect intellectual prowess and discouraged youths from scholarly endeavours and hard work.
“Where are people like Mr T.K. Ogoriba, Dr Chris Ekiyor and Dr Felix Tuodolo who contributed so much in making the amnesty programme a reality?’’ he queried.
He lamented that after getting involved in an accident and undergoing several surgeries, he got nothing as reward since the amnesty programme began.
Jonjon is also the Special Adviser to Bayelsa State Governor on Ijaw nation’s Affairs.
He said the pipeline surveillance contract signed between the Federal Government and some repentant militants ought to have reversed the unjust reward system and engage law-abiding, peace advocates.
“Historically, attention has been on the merchants of violence while those who are law-abiding, who mediated in the peace building process are not factored in.
“I was drafted in during the agitation by militants as President of Ijaw Youths Council alongside notable Ijaw leaders.
“When the amnesty was proclaimed there was no role for those who brainstormed to midwife the idea,’’ Jonjon lamented.
He stressed that Ijaw leaders who mediated and brokered peace ought to be involved in monitoring and evaluation as well as in providing intellectual support to the entire struggle.
He observed that amongst the beneficiaries in the pipeline surveillance contract, it was only Chief Government Ekpemupolo, aka Tompolo, that was consulting and enlisting participation of Niger Delta stakeholders.
He charged other beneficiaries to emulate Tompolo and carry other stakeholders along and discourage infighting amongst Niger Delta people.
Jonjon called for concerted efforts by beneficiaries of the surveillance contract and other stakeholders to involve more people so as to spread the benefits.