From Mike Tayese, Yenagoa

The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr Dennis Otuaro, has urged PAP delegates and youths of the Niger Delta to safeguard the prevailing peace in the region.Otuaro advised them to realise that protecting the region from violent actions and disruption of the peace would attract more businesses and increase economic growth in the area and Nigeria in general.

He stated this at the weekend while addressing leaders and members of the Phase One, Phase Two, Phase Three, and other youths of the region at the day-three of the PAP expanded stakeholders’ meeting in Warri, Delta State. Otuaro, in a statement issued on Sunday by his Media Assistant, Mr Igoniko Oduma, described the PAP delegates and Niger Delta youths as worthy partners for peace-building, development and investment in the region.”The Presidential Amnesty Programme is your programme, and you are all important partners in the peace process of the Niger Delta. As far as this programme is concerned, you are partners for peace, development, investment and economic growth in the region and Nigeria as a whole”, he said.He said PAP believes in engagement of stakeholders and empowerment of delegates, beneficiaries and youths through its educational and vocational programmes.The PAP boss, while thanking the delegates for their consistent support for the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and President Bola Tinubu, reassured them that the president was serious in his desire to complete the East-West Road and other big-ticket infrastructural projects in the region.Otuaro also stated that the President had given his nod to an upward review of the annual budgetary allocation to the office, stressing that this would enhance inclusion of more youths and women in PAP initiatives.He restated his call on all delegates and youths to avoid protests and resist any temptation to participate in demonstrations as such could never be in the interest of the region and the nation.Otuaro further said, “We have a duty to continue to give support to our communities, our region and to the country and President Bola Tinubu. Again, I appeal to you to shun any protest that is being rumoured to take place on October 1st.“For us the Niger Delta people, we are partners in progress. All leaders and members of Phase One, Phase Two, Phase Three and others, will not participate in any protest in this country.”Several participants who took turns to speak at the meeting, including rights activist and founder of the Movement for the Survival of the Ijaw Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND), Elder Timi Ogoriba and former freedom fighters – Eris Paul alias Ogunboss and Pastor Reuben Wilson, said the region had moved beyond the era of protests.Similarly, the chairman of Delta State Traditional Rulers Council and Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, HRM Major General Felix Mujakperuo (retd.) also called on youths of the Niger Delta, not to take the peace and security of the region for granted.Mujakperuo, who made the call when the PAP Administrator paid him a courtesy visit in his place at Orerokpe, stated that peace and security are very important and essential in human endeavours.He commended President Tinubu for sustaining the PAP and lauded the late president, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua for establishing the programme, noting that the initiative had been a major catalyst of peace, security and development in the Niger Delta.The first-class monarch expressed confidence in the capacity of Otuaro to administer the programme in line with its objectives and applauded Tinubu for appointing him.”Let us not take the peace and security of our region for granted like the air we are breathing. So, we are interested in peace because if there is no peace there will not be development in our kingdoms”, Mujakperuo said.