Again, Otuaro meets Ex-agitators, Speaks On Budget Review, Empowerment

By Stephen Asaba-ase and Miracle Esegha

The administrator, the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Chief Dennis Otuaro PhD, has assured that President Bola Tinubu had approved an upward review of budgetary allocation to the PAP office in the 2025 budget.

PAP boss, Otuaro made the remark in Warri on Friday when he met with ex-Niger Delta agitators spreading across phase 1, 2 and 3 of the Amnesty Programme.

Congress learnt that this was the second time the PAP administrator would be meeting with the ex-agitators when he assumed office early this year.

While addressing delegates he said, “I want to reassure you that Mr. President is interested in our budget review. In the 2025 budget, our budget would be reviewed upward to accommodate more persons particularly more women,” Otuaro reechoed.

Speaking on challenges faced by some persons in terms of receiving their monthly stipend, the PAP Administrator stated: “Many challenges such as the BVN issues faced by some persons have been resolved. And every other issue would be resolved under my leadership. Inasmuch the challenge is genuine and under the PAP coverage area, I will do everything within my power to resolve it.”

While on scholarship, the PAP boss said the portal for registration was opened early this year till last month, stressing that no fewer than twenty-five thousand applications were received.

Otuaro, who said the education desk is working hard in the selection process, added that before anyone would be shortlisted for the scholarship a thorough background check would be carried out.

“As you all know, our scholarship portal opened early this year till last month. Over twenty-five thousand applied, this is a large number. But the education desk would soon commence the selection process. But before anyone would be selected, a thorough background check of the community the applicant claimed would be carried out. I am going to call the community chairman, the camp leader, and any other person that I can call for verification.

“But of course you know that we cannot leave out some people. For instance, if an applicant scored 350 in his or her JAMB, we may not go through all these processes. Such applicants would be considered without much background check. Our people will be given the opportunity to acquire education.”

Remaking on vocational training and empowerment, the PAP boss noted: “We are going to review the vocational training upward. We are going to review our empowerment programme. But we are not going to give anyone a starter-pack just like that. When we identify your area of interest, we attach you to an organisation doing what you are interested in doing, and after spending like one year, we can now empower you to start your own business too.

On the proposed October 1 nationwide protest, Otuaro urged the ex-agitators to speak to their people not to join the protest, assuring that President Tinubu is doing everything possible to address challenges in the region.

Making reference, the PAP boss disclosed that the Federal Government had awarded the East-West Road to a Chinese company, assuring that work would commence in a short while.

In response, those who spoke on behalf of the ex-agitators assured the PAP Administrator that no one from the region would join the protest because the few months spent by Tinubu is not enough to judge him in terms of performance.