Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh (retd.), has urged ex-militants, enrolled under the scheme, not to be agitated over the delay in the payment of their stipends for three months.
File photo: Militants in the creek before the Amnesty Programme was initiated by Late former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua
Boroh, the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, made the plea in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Abuja.
He attributed the delay in payment of the outstanding allowance to the non-receipt of allocation to the Presidential Amnesty Office for July, August and September, 2015.
He said, “I want to assure the ex-agitators under the programme that arrangements are being made to fast-track the payment of their July and August stipends as soon as the Amnesty office receives its July allocation.
“The office has been conscientious in managing resources and has already cleared the July and August, 2015 in-training and accommodation allowances for international students under the scholarship programme; and will presently conclude the payment of the in- training allowances of scholarship students in Nigerian universities.”
According to him, the Federal Government is aware of the pains the ex-militants are going through and will ensure that they get their stipends soon.
The coordinator recalled that prior to his appointment, the payment of allowances to all beneficiaries had been stalled owing to the change in government.
He added that the delay in the payment of allowances was occasioned by the introduction of the Treasury Single Account System by the new administration to ensure accountability.
Boroh said his office was working assiduously to engage the relevant agencies of government to ensure the release of all accrued allocations to the Presidential Amnesty Office. NAN
Source: Vanguard
