Kingsley Kuku
The Presidential Adviser on Niger Delta Affairs, Kingsley Kuku, on Wednesday said that the Presidential Amnesty Office (PAO) was saddled with the responsibility of funding the disarmament process of 3,642 former militants in the third phase of the programme.
Kuku made this known when the Chairman of the Inter Agency Task Force on Disarmament for the Third Phase of the Amnesty Programme, James Gbum, visited him at his office in Abuja.
He disclosed that the Amnesty Office would fund the disarmament exercise for 31 days.
Already, a five-man team has been raised to assist the task force to carry out its duties, one of which is to ensure that the disarmament record of the previous batches and those in the third phase is reconciled.
Kuku said: “This is because they have surrendered their arms to military formations and security agencies”
“The process is being budgeted for by President Goodluck Jonathan and the Presidential Amnesty Programme is mandated to carry out the disarmament exercise.
“Funding is not a problem. Don’t seek for funding in any other way. The President, who has already given express approval, will fund the full disarmament which you (task force) will carry out in 31 days,” he added.
He warned members of the task force to avoid acts that could negatively impact on the disarmament process, stressing that sanctions await whoever compromises his position.
In his response, the Task Forrce chair, who is an Air Vice Marshall, thanked the government for the confidence reposed in the team, while seeking total support of the Amnesty Office to enable it work successfully.
He further assured that the team would not fail in its funtions.
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