The Nigerian Diaspora Professionals Forum (NDPF) has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his ‘determined effort’ to sustain the amnesty program to improve security and stability in the Niger Delta.
Addressing journalists in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the Vice President of the organisation Dr. Abdalla Hussein who was part of a fact-finding mission to the Niger Delta, stated that there was remarkable improvement in peace in the region.
“We came on a verification mission in Niger Delta to see things for ourselves. We saw development challenges, but we were glad to note that in the past four years one hardly hears about the destruction of oil installation and organised confrontation and conflict in this region.
“We have visited the nine states in the region, and we shall be heading to Abuja later today. We want to learn more about the development challenges in the region, the amnesty programme and how the Buhari administration has managed to sustain peace so far.
“It is clear to all stakeholders that we need peace for investment and development” he added.
A member of the delegation, Mr. Abiye Davies corroborated that the group visited several vocational training centres built by the Amnesty Programme in various locations in Edo, Delta, and Rivers State.
According to him “the Niger Delta Amnesty Programme has achieved so much and has become an important example that many resource rich African countries can learn from.
“With the implementation of the program now in the Integration phase, the ex-agitators who were formerly involved in conflict have become gainfully employed and can now go back into society as responsible citizens.
It will be recalled that earlier in the year, the former Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru confirmed an increase in the country’s oil production to 2.32 million barrels per day.
The news comes as a big boost to the government’s revenue projection as contained in the N8.92 trillion 2019 budget.
The group stressed that the major reason for the boost was that most of the ex-agitators were absorbed in the amnesty program.
They also attributed the successes to the leadership of the programme led by Charles Dokubo, a former research Professor at Nigeria Institute of International Studies.
The thanked Buhari for appointing him and bringing about more transparency in and confidence of stakeholders.
