National Vice Chairman of Phase Three of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Alhaji Letugbene has applauded the PAP Administrator, Dennis Otuaro for repositioning the programme for optimal performance to achieve its core mandate.
Letugbene, who stated this on the sidelines of the Niger Delta Youth parley held over the weekend, in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, asserted that Otuaro has accomplished a lot since his appointment by President Bola Tinubu, citing regular payment of stipends, skill acquisition training, and education scholarship among others, as his laudable achievements.
Describing Otuaro as a seasoned technocrat and astute administrator with a remarkable record of success in public service, he commended President Tinubu for appointing the amnesty boss, who is well known and highly revered for his innovative, pragmatic and charismatic leadership style.
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He said allegations of misappropriation of N50 billion, award of contracts to defunct companies and money laundering leveled against the amnesty boss in a petition by the Niger Delta Liberators and Ex-agitators Forum to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are not only false and unsubstantiated, but aimed at distracting him from his assignment.
Letugbene bemoaned that the convener of the group, Comrade Odey Otunu, who is not a beneficiary of the amnesty programme, is being used by the cabal that once held sway at the amnesty office, emphasizing that their grouse is that upon his appointment, Otuaro blocked all leakages which they benefitted from and channeled funds to the welfare of beneficiaries.
“In the past one year, we have seen countless petitions from unknown groups, unknown faces, even this group and its convener, Comrade Odey Otunu is relatively unknown to us in the Niger Delta.
“We have seen protests and propaganda from people we know so well backing such shenanigans. It’s indeed a shame that this is the way they want to go, all because they are not the one appointed to be at the office.
“Niger Deltans know the truth, amnesty programme beneficiaries know that they are receiving their monthly stipend promptly and a lot is being done by Dennis Otuaro and his team. We commend them greatly,” he said.
The youth leader also lampooned Comrade Otunu for not doing due diligence in getting the facts about the amnesty office in line with the Freedom.of Information (FOI) Act, saying just last year, an external auditor gave thumbs up to the Otuaro-led administration for prudent management of PAP funds, accountability and transparency.
