Niger Delta stakeholders defend PAP budget implementation

…Reject allegations against Otuaro, Pondi

Goddy Simon, Asaba

The Coalition of Niger Delta Youth Stakeholders (CNDYS) has defended the implementation of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) budget, dismissing allegations against the Programme’s Administrator, Dr Dennis Otuaro, and the General Manager of Operations of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL), Chief Godfrey Tare Pondi.

The coalition maintained that allegations by critics concerning the utilisation of the Programme’s increased budgetary allocation were unfounded.

It said the Programme’s resources were being deployed in line with its statutory mandate to support education, human capital development, vocational training, peacebuilding and sustainable development across the Niger Delta.

In a statement issued on Friday and signed by its Secretary, Comrade Odede Charles Precious, the coalition reiterated that PAP funds were being invested in education, human capital development, vocational empowerment, peacebuilding and other sustainable development initiatives across the region.

According to the group, the Programme currently sponsors more than 9,000 scholarship beneficiaries in tertiary institutions within Nigeria and abroad, while also supporting successive batches of postgraduate scholars in the United Kingdom.

It added that beneficiaries had received specialised training in maritime operations, aviation, information and communication technology, cybersecurity, entrepreneurship, leadership development and other strategic sectors, alongside the provision of laptops and other learning materials.

CNDYS further claimed that the Programme had produced more than 50 First Class graduates and over 40 Second Class Upper graduates, describing the achievements as evidence of its commitment to human capital development.

The group also commended Chief Pondi for his contributions to peacebuilding, youth empowerment and socio-economic development in the Niger Delta, saying his interventions had positively impacted many lives.

It equally praised Dr Otuaro’s leadership, stating that his administration had contributed to sustaining peace, protecting critical national assets and promoting stability across the region.

The coalition urged individuals and groups to refrain from disseminating what it described as false information that could create unnecessary tension or undermine the gains recorded in the Niger Delta. It also called on critics to embrace constructive engagement while reaffirming its support for the current leadership of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, citing achievements in stipend payments, educational support, capacity building, empowerment programmes and regional peacebuilding.