PAP: IPDI faults critics over stipend increment, says Dr Otuaro can only propose, can’t do approval

By Monday Peters, Abuja

Leading advocacy group, the Ijaw People’s Development Initiative (IPDI) has condemned narratives ignorantly blaming Dr Dennis Otuaro, administrator of the presidential amnesty programme for not increasing stipends of delegates of the presidential amnesty programme, stating that increment of stipends is a sole decision of the president of the Nigeria federation, accountant general of the federation, budget office of the federation and office of national planning, ministry of finance, federation accounts allocation committee (FAAC),
federal inland revenue services (FIRS) and National Assembly’s appropriation committee which Dr Otuaro has no role to play, rather than proposing and appealing.

The group pointed out that the monthly stipend of the amnesty delegates is tied to the government budget allocations and cannot be unilaterally approved or implemented by Dr Otuaro. The organization emphasised that Otuaro can only push, propose, and advocate for an increase, but ultimately, it requires higher approval.

IPDI in a statement by its national president Comrade Ozobo Austin urged critics and attention seekers to channel their energy towards pressuring the Presidency and Ministry of Finance to approve and implement new stipend formula rather than blaming Dr Otuaro ignorantly. “Let’s be honest and clear, Dr. Otuaro is not the one making these decisions, so criticising, blackmailing and assassinating his characters for things that are not within his powers are acts of primitivity, ignorance and unacceptable” IPDI stated.

The group emphasised that Dr Otuaro would be the happiest person if his efforts towards the increment of PAP delegate stipends were approved by the presidency.

It recalled that Dr Otuaro spoke in support of the increment of PAP delegates’ stipends in one of his first stakeholders’ engagement meetings at KFT event centre in Warri Delta State, and such a person can’t be accused recklessly of not doing enough in that regard. “I am aware of Dr Otuaro’s pending memos in the presidency regarding the increment of the stipends”.

“Increment of amnesty delegates stipends is a major financial decision and it requires approval from the Federal budgetary authorities, including the Presidency, Ministry of Finance and others, Dr Otuaro has no role to play rather than appealing on behalf of the ex-agitators” the forum added.

IPDI also called for patience and cooperation, stating that Otuaro is working towards the best interests of the beneficiaries while emphasising the need for collective responsibility and understanding of the decision-making process.

“I urged stakeholders and PAP beneficiaries to understand the complexities of government bureaucracy, and do engagement of the presidency more for such high profiled decisions rather than insulting and blackmailing an innocent man”, the statement emphasised.