The newly appointed Interim Administrator for the presidential Amnesty Programme, Col. Milland Dikio Dixon (rtd) has assured the delegates, stakeholders and the general public that he is going to work through consensus and facts so as to collaborate and cooperate with agencies that are complementary to the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP). He stated that a lot of fictions and misconceptions had been put out in the public domain about what the Amnesty Programme is. This narrative he noted has to change.

Col. Dikio (rtd) made the above remarks on Monday, 21^st September 2020 while taking over the leadership of the Presidential Amnesty Programme at the Head Office in Abuja from the Caretaker Committee.

The Interim Administrator, while noting that the new administration did not intend to dwell on the past, emphasized that “we shall not neglect the lessons of the past; noting that if we learn well, we will do better”. He added that the Programme will be focused on service delivery. Thus, the primary purpose shall be to focus on the reintegration of the ex-agitators and seek the input of relevant stakeholders in the region to realize the objectives for which this programme was set up. He thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for his appointment and assured all that he intends to work towards justifying Mr. President’s confidence reposed in him.

He also said that he intends to clear the ‘cobwebs’ so that people will know the difference between the Amnesty Programme and what he called the Presidential Amnesty Package. The Presidential Amnesty Programme entails Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) – a subset of the Amnesty Package. The Amnesty Package is a basket of government avowed plans to address and ameliorate the grievances that led to the agitations and subsequent armed struggle in the Niger Delta.

Col. Dikio (rtd), while thanking the Chairman, Caretaker Committee, for successfully holding forte, assured the Management Staff of PAP of his readiness to work with everybody. He added that accountability is a ‘two-way street’.

The new paradigm of Presidential Amnesty Programme is service delivery. “Essentially, I am here to render service”. All hands must be on deck to ensure that we successfully achieve the purpose for which the
Federal Government set up the DDR Programme.

He said that he is committed to repositioning the office on the path of service delivery through inclusive leadership. The Administrator implored the Management to be open-minded and urged all to imbibe the culture of collective responsibility.

Earlier on, the Chairman, Caretaker Committee, Ambassador Aminu A. Lawwal, in his welcome address, thanked the President, His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari for the opportunity given to the members of the committee to serve in this capacity. He stated that the President has graciously approved all the recommendations of the Committee concerning the smooth running of the Programme. He commended the Management of the Presidential Amnesty Programme for their cooperation while working with the Committee. Ambassador Lawwal enjoined them to extend the hand of fellowship to the Interim Administrator to ensure the success of the DDR Programme.

The Director, Finance and Accounts, Mr. Isaac Ityohuma in his closing remarks noted that the management has resolved to turn a new leaf and correct the past mistakes. The Management pledged unalloyed loyalty and support to the Interim Administrator.

Dibiaezue-Eke, Florence (Mrs)

Director, Information.