Our attention has been drawn to a passionate open letter authored by Mr. Basil Duobratonkumor Ujobolo, an indigene of Esanma Community in Bomadi LGA. The letter, addressed to several leaders in the Niger Delta including the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr. Dennis Otuaro, highlights the socio-economic challenges faced by Ijaw women and makes a heartfelt appeal for their empowerment.
We commend Mr. Ujobolo for his advocacy and deep concern for the welfare of Ijaw women and young ladies. His letter thoughtfully articulates the societal pressures and economic disadvantages that hinder their progress and independence. The call to uplift and support our mothers, sisters, and daughters is one that resonates with all well-meaning stakeholders in the Niger Delta.
However, in the interest of public clarity and proper guidance, it is imperative to address the specific appeal made to the Presidential Amnesty Programme and its current leadership under Dr. Dennis Otuaro.
It is crucial to state, categorically, that the Presidential Amnesty Programme is not a broad-spectrum interventionist agency designed for the general development of the Niger Delta. While agencies like the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) have a wider regional development mandate, the PAP was established with a very specific and distinct mission: to train, empower, and successfully reintegrate the 30,000 officially documented ex-agitators into society.
This core mandate remains the singular and utmost priority for Dr. Dennis Otuaro. Upon assuming office, he made an unwavering commitment to refocus the Programme on its foundational vision. His administration is dedicated to ensuring that every single one of the 30,000 beneficiaries receives the training and empowerment necessary for a sustainable livelihood, thereby securing the peace and stability that the Programme was created to achieve.
While Dr. Otuaro is a compassionate leader who understands the interconnectedness of our communities, any support extended to impacted communities or other groups outside the 30,000 beneficiaries is purely discretionary. Such gestures of goodwill, when they occur, are born from his magnanimity and should not be misconstrued as an expansion of the Programme's legal and operational obligations. He is under no statutory obligation to do so, as his primary accountability is to the core vision of the PAP.
At present, Dr. Otuaro is intensely focused on resolving the deep-seated and complex issues that have affected the Programme over the years. This requires his undivided attention and a disciplined adherence to the established mandate. We, therefore, appeal to all stakeholders, including passionate advocates like Mr. Ujobolo, to refrain from distracting him with extraneous matters that fall outside the direct purview of the Presidential Amnesty Programme.
We are confident that under the focused leadership of Dr. Dennis Otuaro, the PAP is on an inevitable path to revitalization. We join the good people of the Niger Delta in praying for him and wishing him more of God's wisdom and strength as he works diligently to take the Presidential Amnesty Programme to the next level of success.
Signed, Chief Gen.WhoKnows Tomorrow, National Publicity Secretary, PAP Phase 3/Coordinator,Dr.Dennis Otuaro Volunteer Media Team
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