Pay the 400 level 67 Itsekiri beneficiaries their in-training stipends immediately - Itsekiri Ex-agitators, INDI tell Dikio

The Itsekiri Ex-Agitators’ Forum and Itsekiri National Development Initiative, INDI, have urged the Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Col.  Milland Dikio, to immediately pay the In-training stipends for the 400 level 67 Itsekiri beneficiaries of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, who were deployed since 2017/2018, saying, it will make no sense, if the Amnesty Office “continue to discriminate against beneficiaries on the basis of unverified or un-cleared”.

Fresh Angle International can report that the call was fallout of a communique issued at the end of the general meeting of Itsekiri Ex-agitators Forum and Itsekiri National Development Initiative (INDI) held in Warri, Delta State, yesterday, Sunday May 16.

The communique, signed by the National Chairman, General Secretary as well as the Director of Contact and Mobilization, Comrade Dennis Mene, Comrade Akatakpo Omatseye and Comrade Henry Omajugho, respectively, commended: “Col.  Milland Dikio for the reforms that he has introduced into the programme within a short time, such as the prompt payment of Bush stipends, payment of In- training stipends to beneficiaries and the online application for all ex-agitators in the database of the office”, adding: “There is no doubt that the online application, will ensure fairness and equal opportunities to all beneficiaries in the programme”.

They urged the Presidential Amnesty Office to: “Step up their service delivery to the Beneficiaries by bridging the communication gab, particularly with the delegates in schools and clear the remaining students with UNCodes still being owed outstanding In-training allowances”, insisting: “That the 20% of impacted Communities and 10% of discretions in the Scholarship scheme, should be inclusive and not secluded from other ethnic groups in the region”.

While commending: “President Muhammadu Buhari on his efforts to secure Nigeria, despite the security challenges in some parts of the Federation, being orchestrated by politicians ahead of the 2023 general elections as well as his efforts for ensuring peace in the Niger Delta, with the sustenance of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, by appointing Col. Milland Dikio, who has brought his experience in the DDR to the programme”, the Itsekiri Ex-Agitators’ Forum and Itsekiri National Development Initiative, INDI, noted: “. We are totally opposed to the criteria for First degree, which states that you must have gotten admission into schools and that of the prospective Masters students, which states that prospective students, must upload transcript before beneficiaries can be selected, because it is not tenable. Hence, we call for its review”.

The Itsekiri Ex-Agitators’ Forum and Itsekiri National Development Initiative, INDI, advised: “Itsekiri beneficiaries particularly in the training categories and in the database of the office with UNCodes to take advantage of the online application to apply for their training”, even as they tasked Col. Dikio, to: “Know that most schools don't give transcript to individuals, rather it is sent to the admitting school or organization directly and apart from that, Nigerian schools are not very timely in processing transcript. A situation that has delayed the payment of some students ITA payment, till date, because some Universities always insist that the transcript be sent to them”.

×