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Amnesty To Enlist More Beneficiaries On President’s Order
Coordinator, Presidential Amnesty Porgramme (PAP) Prof. Charles Dokubo, has said that only President Muhammadu Buhari can give orders before more people could be accommodated in the amnesty programme. •Prof. Charles Quaker Dokubo made this known while fielding questions in Abuja.
He said the office was waiting for the declaration of the president to admit more people into the programme because they were all from the Niger Delta.
Dokubo also allayed the fears in some quarters that the amnesty programme would be terminated, saying that there was no date for the termination of the programme.
“For those who want to come anew into the programme, it is not in my power to admit them unless Mr President gives the order because they are not part of the budget that has been passed for us.
“So the President must make a declaration. We have phases one, two and three. Phase one is the initial Presidential declaration, phase two also was Presidential order and even phase three. “ These new people need the support of this amnesty programme and we will do all it takes that they are not the forgotten ones and they are part of the programme. “There is no date for terminating this programme and I will not advise any government to cut it off because of the achievements it has recorded. “There is peace in the Niger Delta, there is human security and it impacts positively on the people.”
Commenting on the policy of sending beneficiaries abroad to study courses that were available in Nigerian institutions, the Coordinator said he would curtail it because of budgetary constraints. According to him, a lot of people who were sent abroad were on faulty premises; how can you send somebody to the US to read political science when most universities in Nigeria offer political science. “That is why I am concerned about offshore training because the money we will spend on one person, we can spend on 10 people in Nigeria; only specific courses like pilots, aircraft maintenance that I can look at.’’
Speaking on the Federal Government’s plan to build modular refineries, Dokubo was of the opinion that as long as it would benefit the people and not endanger their health, it was a welcome development.
According to him, if the government deems it fit that it is good, my concerns are just about the environment and the pollution it creates. “If modular refineries are the new path to empower my people and it will not endanger their health later and where the government will spend a lot of money training them again, I will say welcome.’’ Speaking on the agitators laid off from the amnesty office, he said those who were laid off were either not qualified or failed the examination. Dokubo added that efficiency was key and the work did not belong to any particular persons, so if there was a need to put better qualified people on the job, those there had to be excused.
In another development, Coordinator, Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Prof. Charles Dokubo, has underscored the need for relevant organisations to collaborate with the programme to ensure effective and efficient service delivery of its mandates.
Dokubo said this while speaking at the flagship programme of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum, in Abuja.
He said if relevant agencies could collaborate with the programme, the beneficiaries of the amnesty programme would be economically empowered to be independent of government’s stipends.
“I believe that if arrangement can be made with various organisations on how to accommodate some of these trained ex-agitators, they could be taken up to assist the amnesty programme and also walk to earn a living.
“I came into the office at a period when they have done most of the demobilisation of the programme, so what the organisation was facing was the reintegration aspect of it.
‘That is my motive and my drive for the programme; how do we reintegrate those who have been trained and empowered?
“How do they get job to do, so that they could fit into the system and could contest for job in whatever situation they find themselves.
“Because most of them are so qualified or over qualified from those we have trained or send abroad,” he said.
He further noted that not every ex-agitator could be an academic, saying there are also vocational programmes that most of the beneficiaries have participated such as farming, welding and other ICT repairs.
Dokubo said that most of them have been trained by some groups of experts on skills acquisitions and were also employed.
“Definitely, it has imparted on them, but we also still believe that there is a lot to be done, because not everybody has gone through this process.
“So, we still have a process of checking those who have not been trained, checking out those who have not been imparted and also trying to give them the basic training.
“Even those who have been trained before; there is also a policy of retraining; because of the new things that are emerging; just to ensure that they could adapt to new technology and others.
On the challenges, he said that on his appointment, a committee was set up to review the amnesty programme and make recommendations.
“Immediately, I was appointed, I set up a committee to review the amnesty programme and from there we have seen shortcomings and challenges, these are the issues that I’m addressing, especially training and retraining.
“And also cutting out waste from the programme, the programme was somehow unwinding, but I’m trying to put everything into perspective.
“I’m trying to run it in such a way that it is effective and efficient and that it goes directly to those who are supposed to get the benefit of this programme.
Dokubo, however, identified multiplicity of issues that should be handled by a unit in the agency being handled by multiple units within the same agency, saying this has been streamlined.
“Now you can look at a particular unit and know exactly what they are doing; if you look at offshore education you look at what they are doing, how school fees and stipends are being sent to the students so that they don’t go into problems anymore,” he said.
The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Rivers State Chapter, has inaugurated a new Executive Council to pilot the affairs of the institute for the next two years.
The new Executive Council was elected during the maiden edition of the Rivers Public Relations Week and Annual General meeting held last Friday, in Port Harcourt.
The re-election marked a historic moment as members of the chapter converged to chart a new course for professional excellence, ethical standards, and the advancement of public relations practice in the State.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the institute, Ayodeji Emmanuel Afelumo, at the weekend.
The Registrar and Secretary to the NIPR Governing Council, Chief Uzoma Onyegbadue, who swore in the officers charged them to redouble their efforts in upholding professional integrity and excellence in public relations practices.
The officers re-elected for the second term include Rev. Francis Asuk as chairman, Dr. Parry Saroh Benson (Vice Chairman), Mr. Felix Tamuno (Secretary), Alhaja Ayo Odungweru (Treasurer), and Edna Alete as Financial Secretary.
Those with fresh tenure are Dr. Helen Chimezie who was elected as the Assistant Secretary, Mr. Ayodeji Emmanuel Afelumo (Public Relations Officer), and Mrs. Ngowari Oba as Welfare Officer, following the tenure expiration of the former officers.
In his acceptance remarks, Rev. Asuk expressed gratitude to members for their confidence and pledged to uphold the ideals of the institute, promote professional development, and foster partnerships that would further enhance the visibility of public relations in Rivers State and beyond.
The Rivers Public Relations Week is the first of its kind organised by a State chapter of the institute and it provided a platform for practitioners, scholars, and stakeholders to engage in knowledge-sharing, networking, and discussions on the evolving role of public relations in governance, business, and society.
The statement added that the Rivers State Chapter of the NIPR looks forward to a new era of purposeful leadership, innovation, and impact under the stewardship of its newly inaugurated executive council.
News
Falana Gives Ken Saro-Wiwa, Others Clean Bill Of Health …As Activist Decries Marginalisation Of Ogoni People p6 lead
Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana(SAN) has apparently exonerated the slain writer and environmental rights activist, Mr Ken Saro-Wiwa and his eight Ogoni kinsmen of the murder charge which led to their execution by hanging by the Gen Sani Abacha military junta on November 10, 1995.
This is even as a human rights activist, Evangelist Caroline Nagbo, has decried the spate of marginalisation against Ogoni people in Nigeria and Rivers State, saying, in spite of the struggles, sacrifices and contributions of the Ogoni people, they have continued to be marginalised, particularly in politics.
Falana, who bared his mind in a keynote address during the 30th Anniversary of the Ken Saro-Wiwa Memorial Lecture at Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt on Friday, said the Ogoni nine never committed the crime for which they were hanged by the Federal Government.
On her part, Nagbo noted in a goodwill message at the event that despite the Ogoni people’s contributions, struggles and sacrifices, they continue to face exclusion and intimidation.
She decried a situation where people who hated Ken Saro-Wiwa during his lifetime, equally hate Ogoni people, because they consider them as very intelligent, stressing that instead of giving them political power, stooges are rather favoured.
According to her, Ogoni people must continue to speak out and agitate for their rights.
Nagbo further noted that the name of Ken Saro-Wiwa always evokes environment, minority and politics, emphasising that the legacies of the late environmental rights activist have continued to inspire and motivate the Ogoni people, and highlighted the significance of his birthday, which coincides with the Ogoni struggle for self-determination, environmental justice, and human rights.
She said the Federal Government’s treatment of Ken Saro-Wiwa’s memory and the Ogoni people is a reflection of the country’s flawed political system, and criticised politicians for their absence at events commemorating Ken Saro-Wiwa’s birthday and even illegal execution, attributing it to the marginalisation and intimidation faced by the Ogoni people.
“If you identify with Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni struggle, you are the enemy of the state, and that is marginalisation and intimidation,” she said.
Nagbo further lamented that despite the Ogoni people’s contributions to the country’s struggle for democracy, they are yet to be adequately rewarded.
“Politically, up till now, an Ogoni individual has never been a Governor, and they are not ready to give it to us, even in the next 30 years.The same thing they did to Ken Saro-Wiwa is the same thing they are doing to the Ogoni sons and daughters. They are manipulating it,” she said.
Nagbo praised the consistency of fiery human rights lawyer, Femi Falana(SAN), in championing the cause of the Ogoni people, saying, even Ken Saro-Wiwa was known for his consistency.
The keynote speaker, Mr Femi Falana actually chronicled the circumstances surrounding the hanging of Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight of his kinsmen on November 10, 1995, saying, they never committed the offence for which they were executed, and,therefore, deserve not only the recent pardon granted to them by the Federal Government but also exoneration and apology from the government.
Falana accused the state and Shell of masterminding the murder of four Ogoni sons, with the intent of roping in Ken Saro-Wiwa and the other Ogoni activists, saying, the execution of the Ogoni activists was premeditated.
According to him, when it was clear that the then Abacha military junta had already made up its mind to kill Ken Saro-Wiwa and others, the legal team defending them had no option than to withdraw from the trial in order not to give it legitimacy.
The human rights lawyer said the Ogoni people must be united today more than ever before to fight for their rights, stressing that the move for resumption of oil production in Ogoniland can only be justified when the ongoing cleanup of Ogoniland has attained an appreciable level.
He also applauded the siting of the Federal University of Environment and Technology in Ogoniland, but insisted that the university must employ Ogoni people to justify its establishment.
Falana said the time has come for the people of the Niger Delta region to demand accountability from the political class at all levels of governance in the region, saying, they are constitutionally empowered to find out how the 13 percent derivation funds and other funds are utilised.
According to him, the three percent fund stipulated and specified in the Petroleum Industry Act(PIA) is supposed to go directly to oil and gas bearing communities in the Niger Delta.
He also sympathised with Umuechem people for what befell them during the military regime, and decried a situation where oil companies failed in providing social amenities to the people, in spite of benefiting from the oil and gas deposits in their land.
He promised to set up a think tank of lawyers to advocate and ensure that oil and gas host communities in the country, particularly in the Niger Delta are provided social amenities.
Also, human rights and environment campaigner and one of the organisers of the event, Mr Celestine Akpobari thanked Femi Falana, Dr Nimo Bassey and other dignitaries and participants for gracing the event, which he described as the celebration of Ken Saro-Wiwa’s legacies.
He said the rush for the resumption of oil exploration in Ogoniland does not make any economic sense, and likened it to mopping the floor while the taps are open.
At the event, the panel of discussants consisted of Prof KialeeNyiayana of the University of Port Harcourt; Prof Lucky Akaruese of the University of Port Harcourt; Eze(Prof) Christian Akani of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education; and Leader of Ogoni People’s Assembly, Rev Probel Williams, while the moderator was Dr EmemOkon.
The discussants gave a good account of themselves, as they did not only dissect the keynote address presented by Femi Falana, giving more insights into it, but also did justice to the questions posed to them by the moderator, bordering on Ken Saro-Wiwa and his legacies, among other issues.
By: Donatus
News
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