The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has commended the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Chief Dr. Dennis Burutu Otuaro, for his leadership and the impact of the programme on youths in the Niger Delta.
The President of the IYC Worldwide, Dr. Doubra Collins Okotete, gave the commendation when he led members of the 10th National Executive Council on a courtesy visit to Otuaro at the PAP office.
Okotete said the visit was aimed at reviewing the implementation of the programme in line with the vision of the Federal Government when the initiative was established in 2009 by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
He acknowledged PAP’s contributions to the education, empowerment and skills development of Niger Delta youths, particularly Ijaw youths.
According to him, thousands of young people have benefited from quality education and training locally and internationally, while others have received formal and informal training in various skills and crafts.
He, however, called for greater funding and improved budgetary provisions to enable PAP to accommodate more youths across the Niger Delta.
“Millions of Ijaw youths are still seeking opportunities within the mandate of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, and we believe there is a need for greater funding and improved budgetary provisions to enable the programme reach more Niger Delta youths,” he said.
The IYC president also commended Otuaro for what he described as accountable and responsive leadership, noting that protests and demonstrations by PAP beneficiaries had significantly reduced since his assumption of office.
He said scholarship beneficiaries, empowerment contractors and other beneficiaries had also enjoyed greater assurance of prompt payment of their entitlements.
Okotete said the IYC’s visit was also aimed at exploring areas of stronger partnership with PAP to ensure that more Niger Delta youths were captured under the programme and provided opportunities to acquire skills, generate wealth and contribute to sustainable development.
“We want to work in synergy with the Presidential Amnesty Programme to achieve greater reach and better results for our people, who are the actual intended beneficiaries of the programme,” he said.
Responding, Otuaro described the IYC delegation’s visit as timely and welcomed the council as a worthy partner in advancing the development of the Niger Delta.
He urged the IYC, as a major stakeholder, to continue to offer constructive criticism where necessary.
“You are major stakeholders in the Niger Delta project, and I encourage you to constructively criticise where necessary. My doors are always open to ideas and suggestions on how we can do more for our people,” Otuaro said.
The PAP administrator disclosed that about 10,000 Niger Delta youths had benefited from various educational opportunities under his administration.
He said about 8,700 beneficiaries were currently pursuing first-degree programmes in universities across Nigeria, while approximately 1,300 were undertaking Master’s and PhD programmes in institutions in the United Kingdom.
Otuaro further disclosed that 150 beneficiaries, comprising 50 First Class graduates and 100 Second Class Upper graduates, were scheduled to depart on August 20 for Master’s degree programmes.
The PAP administrator also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for what he described as efforts to sustain peace and stability in the South-South region, particularly in Ijaw areas.
“The South-South region, particularly the Ijaw territory, is experiencing relative peace, and we commend the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration for its efforts in ensuring this stability,” he said.
Otuaro said the prevailing peace had also contributed to a drastic reduction in oil theft, illegal oil bunkering and the associated environmental degradation in the region.
He stressed that sustained peace was critical to the economic development of the Niger Delta and Nigeria as a whole.
The IYC leadership reiterated its commitment to working with PAP and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that the benefits of the Presidential Amnesty Programme reach more youths across the Niger Delta.
