Amnesty: Deepening the vision of a program

When a man is on a mission to make a change for the betterment of his people, he is bound to face challenges hence a”a prophet is never honoured at home” So it is with the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Prof Charles Quarker Dokubo.

Such antagonists cannot be said to be true Niger Delta indigenes,but detractors who are on a mission to derail the good work of Prof. Charles Dokubo in the region.

This reaction is coming as a result of protest organized by few selected people who claimed to be ex-agitators of Niger Delta region. They protested at the National Assembly and also made an obnoxious online publication calling for the removal of Dokubo. What is playing out in their action is that corruption which had been deprived to have its normal field day in the region is fighting back.

Under normal circumstances, it would have been better to keep silent over the vague allegations made against our erudite Prof. Charles Dokubo by some people with obscure identity, but on the other hand, one should deemed it fit to respond so as to put the record straight with reference to his numerous achievements for the short time he had resumed office.

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It would be recalled that after taking over the mantle of leadership, having been appointed on March 13, 2018, Dokubo opened a new vista that enabled the people of the Region peep into new direction in the Amnesty Programme. The new vista which amended the errors of the previous managements of the Amnesty Programme include education, vocation, post training engagement and job placement initiatives, as well as sustainability plans.

Thus, despite inheriting a liability reported to be in the region of over N7 billion, the new coordinator has been able to fast track payments of the monthly stipends and backlogs of in-training allowances to beneficiaries of the programme in educational and vocational institutions in Nigeria and outside the country.

Thus, the success of the presidential Amnesty programme in the Niger Delta region under the leadership of Dokubo has resulted in Nigeria being able to meet her OPEC quota of 2.2 million barrel crude oil per day compare to the production of 700,000 barrels of crude oil produced some months past. The new Amnesty Boss need to be applauded for achieving numerous feats.

His achievements in a short time of resuming office were subsequently noted by the coalition of ex- agitators and stakeholders in the Niger Delta who applauded his efforts for peace building in the region.

According to them, “We are happy that today, we have an amnesty coordinator whose commitment to resolving the Niger Delta crisis is second to none. Within the short period that he has been in office, he has settled all outstanding allowances owed to ex-agitators.

“It is unfair and unhealthy for us to be protesting against our own. We should learn to be our brothers’ keeper. We call on those involve to stop rubbishing the good work of the Amnesty office.

“The amnesty office under Prof. Charles Dokubo has been attending promptly to payment of stipends. We have not seen what he has done wrong to deserve the planned embarrassment. He has shown that he has a listening ear to all that is affecting the amnesty beneficiaries,” the ex-militants said.

In the same vein, Director of Research at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Plateau State, Prof. Habu Galadima commended Dokubo’s drive in bringing peace and development to Niger Delta Region.

He stated that Dokubo has provided the needed strategic leadership towards actualizing the objectives of the Presidential Amnesty Program.

He expressed his conviction while delivering a keynote address at a four-day capacity building training for executive and senior management of the Amnesty Program themed, ‘Change and Organizational Renewal: Strategic Leadership and Employee Performance Development Program.’

Dokubo is a highly cerebral and astute administrator who for his refusal to play to their demands have been painted in many lights to pull him down. But as usual, he is not distracted by series of petition and scandalous reports, instead he is poise to do even more as a demonstration of this commitment to the Niger Delta Struggle.

In his words “I’m not moved by what they say. I am even more determined to work harder to see that the youths of the Niger Delta region benefit from the Amnesty programme to better their lives.

Dokubo, in his short stay in office has turned the Amnesty Programme to a productive and innovative centres with various vocational centres built in all nooks and crannies of the Region in order to engage the ex militants qualitatively?

Only recently he showcased an Entrepreneurial Exhibition Fair in Port Harcourt, Rivers State where ex-agitators displayed their skills in various endeavours after being trained under the Amnesty Programs. This is the first time such an event has taking place in the history of the programme.

Dokubo is a man whose commitment to improve the lives of the youths in Niger Delta region is unwavering as he is set to open a world class vocational Centre in Arogbo in Ondo State and Kayama of Bayelsa in the first week of January 2019

It is on record that Professor Dokubo had deepened the vision of the programme to the extent that Niger Delta Youths have been trained in various endeavours and have become entrepreneur, employers of labour and responsible citizen in the Society.

For pulling Niger Delta youths out of the creeks and making them responsible citizen of the society, Professor Charles Dokubo needs commendation and not castigation.

For less than a year in the office, Dokubo had already made a difference from previous managers of the Amnesty Programme. His action is convincing that things will be different in the Amnesty Programme now hence he has started firing from all cylinders. He has kept the hope of the people of Niger Delta alive. If he could achieve this lot within a short time, that means the people of the Region are in for better deal….