Leader of the defunct Movement for the
Emancipation of the Niger-Delta, MEND, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, aka
Tompolo, explained, yesterday, that he summoned today’s meeting the of the
militant group in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, because of the overpowering pressure
mounted on him and other MEND leaders by ex-agitators and other beneficiaries
of the Amnesty Programme.
Tompolo confirmed there was apprehension in
Ijaw land over the continued delay by the Federal Government in paying monthly
stipends to the beneficiaries, adding that whilst some of them, leaders,
understood the reason for the noticeable delay apparently caused by the
scrutiny of government agencies, including the Amnesty Office, majority of the
beneficiaries did not see it in that light.
Tompolo’s statement: “I am compelled to
clarify issues as they relate to the meeting of the leadership of ex-agitators
under the platform of MEND and other organizations summoned at my instance.”
“The nation would recall that in the build- up
to the Amnesty offer of the late President, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, there
was hesitance on the part of most of Niger Delta agitators until God in His
infinite mercy granted me wisdom to provide leadership.
“The nation will also recall that under the
Amnesty programme as inherited by the immediate past president, Dr. Goodluck
Ebele Jonathan, relative peace was enjoyed even as security of lives and
property was enhanced to an appreciable level. Also, oil production increased
from 700 barrels per day to 2.5million barrels per day. Put simply, hitherto
aggrieved Niger-Delta youths, who inadvertently became agitators, upon the
acceptance of the Amnesty offer, refrained from armed agitation to face normal
urban life,” he said.
He added, “Nonetheless, while some of us
understand to an extent, the apparent delay in the continued payment of the
monthly stipend to the ex-agitators in view of the seeming scrutiny of
government agencies, including the Amnesty Office by the current
administration, same cannot be said of the majority of beneficiaries of the
Amnesty programme.”
“To this extent, some of us, particularly me
and other leaders have been under intense pressure from ex-agitators,
commanders, individuals, parents and guardians as well as communities who are
beneficiaries of the Amnesty programme.
“While a few see the delay in the payment of
their monthly stipends in the light of the need for the current government to
settle in properly, others see the delay as a template to stop the programme.
The expulsion of some students (home and overseas) by their schools and
training institutions particularly has heightened these fears,” he stated.
His words, “Hence, I thought it wise that a
meeting of the collegiate leadership of the platform under which we operated as
agitators could be convened to appraise the situation and possibly, explore
means to douse the tension that is growing among the disarmed youths whose
stipends (training allowances and tuition fees) have been delayed for months.”
“This becomes more compelling in view of the
fact that as leaders of the platform that served as midwife to the Amnesty
offer, we owe the nation a duty to play our roles in order to stem a relapse of
the relative peace in the Niger Delta region,” he said.
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