Ex-militants beg FG to pay 3 months outstanding stipends

Former Niger Delta militants under the amnesty programme have appealed to the federal government to pay their three months outstanding stipends.

Ramsey Mukoro, leader of the third phase of the amnesty scheme, said that his group had not been paid for the past three months.

In a statement made available to NAN in Yenagoa, Bayelss state capital, Ebina Salvation, chairman of the second phase in Bayelsa, said the non-payment of the stipends was a burden to ex-agitators.

Salvation noted that the existing peace in the Niger Delta was down to the amnesty programme.

He said the delay in the payment of stipends to ex-militants was regrettable, adding that protests from them could endanger the peace.

Salvation therefore pleaded with the government to release adequate funds to the amnesty office for effective implementation of the programme.

He also urged the government to go back to the blueprint of the amnesty programme and implement its content by interfacing with Paul Boroh, coordinator of the scheme, and the ex-agitators.

Salvation said the leadership of Boroh was doing well and should not be blamed for the delay in the payment of their stipends.

“We therefore describe the allegations of the faction as false, baseless, mischievous and wicked,” he said.

“The allegations lack substance and should be thrown to the dustbin of history by all right thinking persons.

“We, therefore, urge members of the group to discountenance, Stephen Ebisintei’s, display of falsehood which is a figment of his imagination and that of his co-travelers.”

Salvation maintained that the CBN was not amnesty phase 2 office but rendering services to all Nigerians, both nationally and internationally.