Kingsley Kuku
Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Chairman, Presidential Amnesty Programme, Mr Kingsley Kuku, yesterday stated that the Federal Government will not rescind its decision to end the amnesty programme for Niger Delta ex-militants in 2015.
Kuku made this known at the 7th Business Law Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association in Lagos.
The presidential adviser, however called on the need for the FG to reduce the N65,000 monthly stipend paid to beneficiaries in training to the statutory N18,000 minimum wage, so that those undergoing training do not earn more than those awaiting training.
He said: “It will be in the best interest of Nigeria for government to terminate the presidential amnesty programme by 2015. If it is not closed by 2015, it will lose its taste. This is because it will become an alternative government in the Niger Delta.
“We are currently battling exit strategy challenges. If we reduce the monthly stipend to those in training to the prescribed minimum wage for the country, which is N18,000, it will discourage more people from taking to militancy.
“We should have stopped paying N65,000 after pulling the agitators from the creeks and fixing it at the minimum wage could have been ideal. To avoid further crisis, the programme should end in 2015. We must be ready to exit the programme. It is for this reason that governors of the region must support alternative programmes for youth engagement.”
Kuku said that his office was currently exploring possibilities of getting trained ex-militants engaged to prevent them from returning to agitation.
Comments