By Gabriel Ameh
The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has commended the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr. Dennis Burutu Otuaro, for what it described as accountable leadership and improved delivery of the programme, while calling for greater funding and wider inclusion of Niger Delta youths.
The IYC President, Dr. Doubra Collins Okotete, and members of the 10th National Executive Council made the call during a courtesy visit to Otuaro at the PAP office.
The visit focused on reviewing the implementation of the Presidential Amnesty Programme and exploring areas of stronger collaboration between the IYC and PAP to ensure that more young people across the Niger Delta benefit from its education, skills acquisition and empowerment initiatives.
Speaking during the visit, Okotete acknowledged the contributions of PAP since its establishment in 2009, particularly in providing educational and skills development opportunities to Niger Delta youths.
He said thousands of young people had benefited from local and international education, as well as formal and informal training in various skills and crafts.
According to him, many beneficiaries also rely on the monthly stipends provided under the programme to meet their basic needs.
However, the IYC President said significant gaps remained, noting that many Ijaw youths were still seeking opportunities within the mandate of PAP.
He called for increased funding and improved budgetary provisions to enable the programme to expand its reach and accommodate more Niger Delta youths.
Okotete also commended Otuaro for what he described as responsive and accountable leadership, saying protests and demonstrations by PAP beneficiaries had reduced significantly since the administrator assumed office.
He further noted that scholarship beneficiaries, empowerment contractors and other beneficiaries had experienced greater assurance of prompt payment of their entitlements.
The IYC president said the council was seeking a stronger partnership with PAP to ensure that more Niger Delta youths were identified, trained, empowered and supported to become economically productive.
“Our visit is intended to seek out areas of greater partnership between the organised youth body and the Presidential Amnesty Programme to ensure that a greater number of Niger Delta youths are absorbed into the programme and provided with opportunities to acquire skills, generate wealth and contribute to sustainable development,” he said.
He added that the IYC would engage other leadership structures and stakeholders within the PAP framework to obtain relevant information that could strengthen collaboration and improve the programme’s reach.
Otuaro: IYC Is a Worthy Partner
Responding, Otuaro described the IYC leadership’s visit as timely, welcoming the council as a major stakeholder and partner in efforts to advance development in the Niger Delta.
He encouraged the IYC to continue offering constructive criticism and suggestions where necessary, stressing that his administration remained open to ideas that could improve the programme.
“You are major stakeholders in the Niger Delta project, and I encourage you to constructively criticise where necessary. My doors are always open to ideas and suggestions on how we can do more for our people,” Otuaro said.
The PAP administrator disclosed that about 10,000 Niger Delta youths had benefited from various educational opportunities under the programme.
He said approximately 8,700 beneficiaries were currently pursuing first-degree programmes in universities across Nigeria, while about 1,300 were undertaking Master’s and PhD programmes in institutions in the United Kingdom.
Otuaro also disclosed that 150 beneficiaries comprising 50 First Class graduates and 100 Second Class Upper graduates had departed on August 20 for Master’s degree programmes.
Otuaro Commends Tinubu Administration
The PAP administrator also commended the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for its efforts towards sustaining peace and stability in the South-South region, particularly in Ijaw communities.
Otuaro said the relative peace in the region was creating a more conducive environment for economic development and other activities.
He also claimed that oil theft and illegal oil bunkering had drastically reduced, contributing to a reduction in associated environmental degradation across the region.
According to him, maintaining peace and stability in the Niger Delta remained essential to the economic development of both the region and Nigeria as a whole.
The IYC leadership reiterated its commitment to working with PAP and other relevant stakeholders to strengthen the programme and ensure that its benefits reach more youths across the Niger Delta.
The council said a stronger partnership between youth representatives and PAP would help improve access to education, skills acquisition, economic empowerment and sustainable development opportunities for young people in the region.
