Ex-agitators score PAP boss, Otuaro, high on performance

Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa

Ex-agitators from the Niger Delta region have applauded the performance of the Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr Dennis Otuaro, and called on all stakeholders in the region to keep supporting him.

The ex-agitators, who met in Port Harcourt at the weekend to review the performance of PAP under Otuaro since his appointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, said the administrator’s actions and achievements were in line with the mandate of PAP.

The meeting was at the instance of the National Chairman of First Phase Ex-Agitators, His Royal Highness Henry Binidodogha, aka Egbeme one, the king of Ofunama kingdom and the Secretary-General, First Phase Ex-agitators, Gen. Nature Dumale Kiegha.

Speaking for the ex-agitators after the meeting, King Binidodogha said they were particularly happy that in less than one year of his appointment had successfully deployed 1,700 students in different tertiary institutions under the PAP Scholarship Scheme.

He said Otuaro also ensured that 10 scholarship students in special fields of study were sent to foreign institutions in the UK, USA and Canada in his quest to develop the needed critical manpower in the region.

The king said: “We have also seen results in education this period. Under Otuaro without the usual rancour, protests and other crisis, 316 scholarship students graduated from their various universities. About 41 of them also graduated from the Nigerian Law School.

“We also noticed that 10 foreign scholarship students completed their studies. In the past, we had students protesting the lack of logistics and non-payment of school fees bringing embarrassment and shame to the scheme. But under Otuaro students only face their studies because they know that their logistics, welfare and fees will be paid on time.”

He said the ex-agitators also reviewed the handling of verification and orientation exercises under the current administrator and discovered that 1,594 scholarship students in 122 institutions were verified and participated in orientation exercises in line with the students’ charter and formal education policies.

“We also discovered in our review that PAP under Otuaro has a way of ensuring quality and standard for its scholarship students by constantly keeping in touch with the universities.

“For instance, PAP’s delegation inspected facilities at six universities, including Nigerian Maritime University, and Gregory University among others to ensure quality standards. So, they are always on the ground to monitor situations”, he said.

 King Binidodogha said Otuaro ensured Gender balance in deployment of scholarship students adding that through constant verification, Otuaro discovered that 16 students absconded from their programmes and saved N41million for PAP.

In his remarks, the Secretary-General, First Phase Ex-agitators Gen. Nature Dumale Kiegha, said Otuaro’s constant engagement with all the stakeholders in the region had helped to deepen the peace in the Niger Delta region.

He said the PAP boss had maintained constant interactions with critical stakeholders such as youths, traditional rulers, women groups and community leaders and ensured that PAP events were held within the Niger Delta region.

The king called on all stakeholders in the region to support Otuaro to enable him to achieve more feats and warned against any attempt to pull him down.

Nature acknowledged the support of President Tinubu for the programme through his National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and appealed to the President to allocate more funds to PAP.