The National Security Adviser, NSA, Major-General Babagana Mungono (Rtd), says Nigeria has wasted about N712 billion on the Niger Delta Amnesty Programme initiated by late President Umaru Musa Ya’adua.
Addressing State House correspondents after leading the Presidential Amnesty Programme Interim Coordinator, Colonel Milland Dikkio (Rtd) on a visit to President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday, the NSA said the principal idea of setting up the program was to address the issue of development and security in the Niger Delta region.
He said that the original timeline of the program was three years but expressed disappointment that due to vicissitudes and vagaries of the Nigerian society, the program has been allowed to drag for close to 12 years.
He noted that to avoid further waste of government resources, he had to step in by advising President Buhari that the waste must stop.
The NSA explained that government decided to take action by bringing in a retired military officer who has vast experience in such issues.
Meanwhile, Colonel Dikio (Rtd) says contractors are being owed over N71.4 billion by the Presidential Amnesty Programme.
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He said the Programme, which was meant to train and rehabilitate ex-agitators, has been derailed from its original focus by endemic corruption, adding that the current structure cannot be sustained.
The Coordinator noted that the ultimate success of the Amnesty Programme lies in its ability to move ex-agitators from their previous lifestyles to sustainable livelihoods, as peaceful members of their communities and net contributors to the economy.
He explained that not much progress has been made in the demobilisation and reintegration, adding that the Programme is not sustainable in its current form.
He said he intends to focus on its original mandate of development and security in the Niger Delta region.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
