The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), High Chief Dr. Dennis Otuaro, has unveiled his plans to expand the amnesty programme as the PAP helmsman looks forward to long-term development strategies to "create lasting change in the region."

Otuaro made the disclosure when a delegation of the Niger Delta Peace and Stability Forum, led by Sir Godfrey Pondi, the General Manager, Operations, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja, on Wednesday, March 12, 2025.

Other members of the delegation include Chief Benjamin Ekeremo, Chief Otegha Ayebi, Mr Benaebi Adowei, Mr Seiyefa Ekpemupolo, Mr Peter Uduboh, Mr Abisco Darling, Mr Super Layefa Kamboh.

The PAP boss noted that the programme, under his innovative leadership in the past one year, had achieved a lot through several deliberate initiatives designed to enhance sustainable empowerment and stakeholder engagement towards lasting peace and economic opportunities for all impacted communities in the overall interest of national security and stability.

As part of his resolve to advance the programme, Otuaro clarified that the amnesty programme has moved beyond the payment of monthly stipends to ex-agitators, which was transitional, and is now firmly focused on the implementation of the reintegration and rehabilitation phase of the programme's mandate.

While he reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring sustainable peace and security in the Niger Delta for the advancement of economic empowerment and human capital development in the region, Otuaro outlined plans to expand the vocational training, to enhance economic opportunities for women, and to support small-scale businesses, stressing that long-term development rather than short-term stipends would create lasting change in the region.

The Administrator praised the Tantita for its vital role in securing critical national economic assets and employing over 30,000 individuals from the Niger Delta to curb illegal oil bunkering, adding that the security expertise efficiently demonstrated by Tantita in the discharge of its onerous task has been responsible for the increase in oil and gas revenues, describing the achievements of the foremost private security firm as huge.

He also commended members of the Niger Delta Peace and Stability Forum for working silently behind the scene for the peace, security and stability of the region without expecting any personal gains in return.

Otuaro urged stakeholders to remain actively engaged in the peace-building process and development efforts in the interest of the region and the country, while he also called for continued collaboration among security agencies, community leaders and development partners.

In their response, the leader of the group, Pondi, expressed support for Otuaro's able leadership and lauded the PAP Boss deployment of over 2,500 scholarship students of the PAP for the 2024/2025 academic session, saying it shows his commitment to the region's peace, security, stability and human capital development.

The security expert however stressed on the urgent need for a renewed disarmament process as there are more weapons in circulation in the Niger Delta region than were collected after the proclamation of amnesty by the Federal Government, which poses a threat to instability and the gains made over the years.

#penglobalcommunity #PAP #NigerDelta