Former Niger
Delta militants, under the Presidential Amnesty Programme, are appealing
to President Muhammadu Buhari to speedily intervene in the payment of
five months’ salaries owed them by the federal government.
Over 30,000 ex-militants in Niger Delta have appealed to the federal government to pay their outstanding five months salaries.
The ex-militants collect monthly allowance under the Presidential Amnesty Programme.
They have appealed to President
Muhammadu Buhari to prevail on the ministry of finance to release fund
for the payment of arrear.
The quick intervention of President
Buhari, they said, would douse the tension that is already mounting in
the region over the unpaid money.
Mr. Salvation Ibina-Rufus, Chairman of
Presidential Amnesty Programme, Phase Two in Bayelsa State, said the
government should take immediate action to avoid another round of
restiveness.
“We equally want to use this medium to
appeal to President Buhari to instruct the Minister of Finance to
release the N30 billion approved by the Presidency to the Amnesty Office
to enable Boroh to perform his work effectively.
“We are optimistic that President Buhari
is aware of the sufferings and pains Christians suffered during the
Christmas celebration due to non-release of salaries by the Ministry of
Finance,” he said.
Ibina-Rufus made the appeal, as he
sympathised with the aggrieved ex-militants, encouraging them to
exercise patience with the government.
He noted that based on the meeting held
with Special Adviser to the President on Amnesty, Brigadier General Paul
Boroh (rtd), he was hopeful that beneficiaries of the scheme would be
paid immediately after the New Year celebration.
The former militant believes that the
delay in payment that they were experiencing was due to the Ministry of
Finance’s inability to release funds for the Amnesty office to commence
payment.
He then commended his members for their
patience and understanding, saying, “this is really a tempting time so I
am advising you to maintain the existing peace”.
He rationalised that Boroh had shown
sincerity and commitment to ensuring the payment of all their arrears
and advised other former militants to maintain peace and order, assuring
them that he is very optimistic that their salaries would be paid
immediately after official duties resumes. (NAN)
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