President Muhammadu Buhari has been commended for his continued support and sustainance of the Amnesty programme through adequate funding.
The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide hailed the president for providing funds in the 2020 Budget Proposal for the Amnesty programme under the leadership of Prof. Charles Dokubo.
The group noted that the huge amounts voted by the Federal Government in the 2020 Budget demonstrates the President’s commitment to the peace in the Niger Delta and prosperity of the nation.
A statement signed by the spokesmen of IYC, Daniel Dasimaka explained that the budget would enable the Prof. Charles Dokubo-led Amnesty office to build the capacity of more delegates of the programme
“The Government has provided the sum of of N65 billion for the Presidential Amnesty Programme in the 2020 Budget that was presented to the National Assembly on Tuesday.
“We note with delight that the President acknowledged the vital role played by the sustained peace in the Niger Delta in raising the nation’s Foreign Reserves from US$23 billion in October 2016 to about US$42.5 billion by August 2019.” he said.
The group believed that the increase in the reserve is largely due to the relative peace being witnessed in the region, occasioned by sustained amnesty programme.
The group expressed confidence in the leadership of the Amnesty Programme, saying that Prof. Dokubo’s background as an eminent scholar with understanding of the Niger Delta challenges also lends credence to the successes recorded in recent times.
They appealed to Buhari to sustain the programme to ensure that a peaceful atmosphere is provided for the nation’s oil economy to thrive.