Oshiomhole urges ex-militants to shun violence

The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, has called on ex-agitators of the Niger Delta to avoid violence, pipeline vandalism and other acts inimical to the economic development of the country.

He advised the ex-militants to give priority to education, peace building and entrepreneurship.

Oshiomhole was quoted as having made the comment while hosting the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and the Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig. Gen. Paul Boroh, in a statement signed by Mr. Priye Kiyaramo, on behalf of the Head of Media and Communication of the Amnesty Office, Mr. Owei Lakemfa, on Sunday.

The governor was also quoted as having said he appointed one of the ex-militants from Edo State, Mr. Robert Okubo, as the Executive Director, Water Ways Security, because of the commendable conduct of the militants from the state.

Oshiomhole said the on-going efforts by the Coordinator of the Amnesty Programme, Boroh, to establish and maintain sustainable businesses in the Niger Delta would attract investors and development to the area.

He said the choice of Boroh to lead the Amnesty Office was commendable in view of his credentials in peace building and conflict resolution.

The statement also quoted Boroh as saying that the Amnesty Office had concluded arrangements to collaborate with the Edo State Governor to establish an office in Benin, Edo State.

Boroh said the planned office would serve as a command and control post for the Amnesty office to monitor beneficiaries of the programme at the grassroots.

He said the office would further set up offices in all the states covered by the Amnesty Programme.

According to him, the state offices would be made up of representatives from the state governments, the military, paramilitary organisations, the ex-agitators in the state and other stakeholders.

 

Boroh, who also commented on the issue of delayed payment of stipends to beneficiaries of the programme, said the Amnesty Office had the responsibility to ensure effective verification of the names and accounts of beneficiaries for the CBN to process and pay in line with the government’s directive on the Treasury Single Account.

 

He appealed to the beneficiaries of the programme to be patient with the government stressing that the TSA was being implemented to block leakages.