CHIEF DENNIS OTUARO, AN UNPARALLELED PACESETTER IN THE NIGER DELTA, by King Edougha Ekpokpo

By King Edougha Ekpokpo

The appointment of Chief Dennis Otuaro is nothing but the greatest relief done to the Presidential Amnesty Programme, salvaging it from the yokes of corruption and incompetence. With his vast wealth of expertise in conflict management and resolution coupled with his experience as a critical and participatory stakeholder in the entire events that led to the creation of the programme, Chief Dennis has demonstrated uncommon and extraordinary leadership skills in piloting the affairs of the PAP.

For the very first time in the history of the PAP, the Administrator of the programme, Chief Dennis Otuaro PhD visited all partnering institutions to have a physical interaction with the amnesty programme sponsored students, finding out their needs and concerns with a view to solving same.

In less than one year, Chief Dennis Otuaro has mobilized and deployed about 2,000 students under the Amnesty scholarship programme – the highest annual deployment record ever since the inception of the programme, a number that exceeds the cumulative deployment record of the preceding five years put together.

For the first time in the history of the PAP, Chief Dennis Otuaro assembled all newly deployed beneficiaries of the amnesty scholarship for an insightful orientation programme, intimating them of the purpose of the programme and the academic and behavioural requirements they need to sustain to continue in the programme. This exercise is not only a motivational pill but a session that will go a long way in boosting the cognitive and mental preparedness of the beneficiaries for their studies.

For the first time in the history of the PAP, beneficiaries of Air Craft Maintenance training were provided with their entire 12 months in-training allowances, medical allowances and other benefits which they received upfront. With this development, beneficiaries are the ones owing the programme and themselves the requisite skills and knowledge they have been sponsored for.

For the very first time in the history of the PAP, the Administrator organized series of meetings and discussions with ex-agitators, stakeholders, traditional rulers, youth and women groups to give an account of his stewardship and also receive reports and suggestions from them on how to reposition the programme towards the attainment of its objectives.

These are just a handful of the countless achievements of Chief Dennis Otuaro. Chief Dennis Otuaro deserves to be celebrated and worshipped for the excellent achievements he has recorded in less than a year. His leadership style places the human capacity development of the teaming Niger Deltans over and above personal percuniary gains. In fact, Chief Otuaro’s style of administration must be adopted as a model for all leaders in the Niger Delta.

Without mincing words, the Presidential Amnesty Programme under the leadership of Chief Dennis Otuaro has rekindled the hopes of the largest chunk of the ex-agitators and stakeholders in the Niger Delta. Yes, I said the largest part – for there are a crop of few disgruntled thieves whose pains lie on the fact that the presence of Chief Dennis Otauro signals an end to their fraudulent activities using the PAP as cash cow. Sadly for them, Chief Dennis Otuaro is here to stay, not just to stay but to stay on his determination to serve and not to steal.

King Edougha Ekpokpo
Who is an Agri-business enthusiast
Writes from Agbodobiri Town, Delta State.