The Office of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (OPAP) has said that internal and external audits of its databases have uncovered “monumental” frauds in the payment of stipends and other funds to ex-agitators.
Chairman, Presidential Amnesty Strategic Communication Committee (STRATCOM), Nature Dumale, spoke on the discovery during a press conference in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, last Saturday.
Dumale noted that Major-General Tariye Ndiomu (rtd), upon assuming office as interim administrator of the programme in September, initiated plans to renegotiate existing contracts with its vendors.
In the process, the spokesman added, Ndiomu had been able to save over N1.5billion.
“He has shown greater commitment to the core values of the programme, hence was able to extract promises and commitments from sister agencies and stakeholders,” Dumale said.
“For instance, the Head of Service has promised to absorb 350 ex-agitators into the Federal Civil Service once the opportunity presents itself. Gen. Ndiomu has also initiated internal and external audits of its database.
“The auditors have uncovered monumental frauds, especially in the payment of stipends and other sundry funds, where an individual is receiving stipends meant for 33 persons through fraudulent means,” he added.
Describing Ndiomu as proactive, the Amnesty STRATCOM chairman said the interim administrator had ordered the immediate verification process of all delegates to be carried out next week without further delay.
He urged delegates to rest assured that whoever is verified will be paid immediately.
“Gen Ndiomu has also indicated interest in resuscitating the vocational training centres for the training ex-agitators in specialised fields to provide middle-level manpower for the oil and gas industry.
“Gen. Ndiomu has concluded arrangements to complete the construction of four vocational training centres located in Bayelsa, Rivers Delta and Ondo states. These centres will be fully equipped with state-of-the-art equipment.
“He is already discussing with potential technical partners for the projects. The experts are to manage the centres,” the Amnesty STRATCOM chairman said.
The Strategic Communication Committee (SCC) of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), also disclosed that external and internal auditors recently uncovered a massive payroll fraud in PAP.
He said about 513 persons were linked to multiple payments, insisting that the new management of PAP was poised to reposition the scheme for optimum performance.
Dumale said following the development, the Interim Administrator, Maj.-Gen. Barry Ndiomu (rtd), immediately initiated verification of all beneficiaries of the programme as part of the ongoing investigation.
He explained that the audit and efforts of Ndiomu to clean the payroll was the reason some beneficiaries of the programme had yet to receive their monthly stipends adding that all affected and genuine outstanding stipends would be paid after verifications.
Describing Ndiomu’s efforts as proactive, Dumale said upon assumption of office, the amnesty boss renegotiated all existing contracts with vendors and in the process saved N1.5billion for PAP.
He said: “Ndiomu initiated an internal and external audit of PAP’s database. The auditors uncovered monumental fraud especially in the payment of stipends where an individual is receiving stipends meant for 33 persons through fraudulent means.
“The proactive interim administrator has ordered immediate verification of all delegates to be carried out next week. Delegates are to be rest assured that whoever that is verified will be paid immediately.
“Upon assumption of office, General Ndiomu (rtd) initiated plans to renegotiate the existing contracts with vendors. In the process, he has been able to save over N1.5billion”.
Dumale said Ndiomu had concluded plans to set up cooperatives to be managed by ex-agitators and supervised by consultants and experts in grant management.
“The ex-agitators will be given grants of over N500million and revolving loans. They are to take responsibility for the success of the cooperatives. International donor agencies will be involved in providing grants and aids. He has opened channels of discussions with the foreign loans”, he said.
Dumale noted that five months after his appointment, Ndiomu had replaced the Train, Employ and Mentor (TEM) model with the Train, Empower and Exit (TEE) to allow empowered beneficiaries to exit the programme.
While observing that Ndiomu has shown more commitment, patriotism, transparency in the management of PAP, Dumale said the PAP boss had also indicated interest to revive the vocational training centres for ex-agitators.
He said: “Ndiomu has concluded arrangements to complete the construction of the four vocational training centres located in Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta and Ondo states. The centres will be fully equipped with state-of-the-art equipment.
“Ndiomu is committed to the idea of transforming the lives of the ex-agitators through innovative and structured training schemes. It is imperative to inform members of the public that Ndiomu has not delisted anybody but is working round the clock to sanitise the PAP register for the good of not only the ex-agitators but also the Niger Delta region”.
Dumale called on aggrieved ex-agitators to suspend all their plan actions against the PAP management and support the efforts of Ndiomu to sanitise the programme.