Alleged Marginalization: Itsekiri amnesty beneficiaries petition Senate President

In a fresh move to tackle perceived marginalization by the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs and Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Hon. Kingsley Kuku, Itsekiri amnesty beneficiaries have petitioned the Senate President, David Mark calling on the National Assembly to probe the non-payment of their monthly stipend and “the refusal of Hon. Kingsley Kuku to allow the Itsekiris to travel abroad for the necessary training when our Ijaw brothers travel outside with no hindrance”.

The petition which is dated January 8, 2015 and copied the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Speaker of the House of Representatives, the relevant security as well as government agencies, noted that despite deferring their University admission to study abroad till January 2015 as requested by the Office of the Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, funds were yet to be released for their training even “when we are fully aware that the National Assembly had already approved the monies for the post amnesty programmes on the 20^th day of May 2014”.

The petition signed by Chairman and Secretary of the Itsekiri amnesty beneficiaries, Peter Tidi and Otone Bokham respectively, also averred that “all avenues to see Hon. Kingsley Kuku and other members of his team have been truncated by their office after the meeting with them”, just as they noted that the 73 Itsekiri beneficiaries have not been paid their stipends.

They appealed to the Senate President to wade into the issue so that funds would be released to enable them travel abroad and their letter of award/sponsorship would be given to them like their Ijaw compatriots.

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