Amnesty
Programme Is On Track - Minister
Gloria Thomas, Lagos
The
amnesty programme of the Nigerian government has been described
as a wholly home grown initiative, designed to address a
peculiar domestic problem.
Minister of
Defence, General Godwin Abbe said the international community
had no part in President Yar’Adua’s decision to grant amnesty to
Niger Delta militants. He said it was a move to bring back to
the brotherhood called Nigeria, aggrieved family members.
General Abbe
said at a media interaction with media executives that
assistance from the country’s allies would be on its terms.
He said the
federal government would provide direct funding to oil producing
communities, thus giving them and their leaders the right to
plan and execute projects relevant to their needs.
Abbe who also
chairs the amnesty implementation committee said that
construction of schools, hospitals, clinics and other
development structures would remain under the purview of states
and local governments within oil producing states.
Thousands of
militants had surrendered their weapons under the just-concluded
amnesty program after years of fighting in the oil-producing
Niger Delta region.
President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua granted amnesty to Niger Delta
militants between August 6th and October 4th, in a bid to end
unrest that has cost Nigeria billions of dollars in lost
revenue.
The Defence Minister, Godwin Abbe is the chairman of the
committee handling the plans for the rehabilitation and
reintegration of former militants.
Yinka
