Why Amnesty Program Failed to Achieve Objectives- Buhari
By Victor Ofure Osehobo, Benin City
11 years after its inception, the Amnesty Programme is yet to achieve its objectives and desired success even after an upward review of financial allocation to the agency from N35 billion to N65 billion in 2015.
President Muhammadu Buhari stated this on Friday at Abuja while receiving the new Interim Administrator of the Programme, Col. Milland Dixon Dikio (rtd), who accompanied the National Security Adviser, Maj-Gen. Babagana Monguno (Rtd), to see the President at the State House.
A statement from the office of the Priest said the President highlighted how endemic corruption, ineffective utilisation of resources, systemic problem, and abuse of trust and processes have combined to cripple the programme which is now owing contractors over N71 billion.
“The lessons we are learning points to a systemic problem with the Programme structure that permits abuse of trust and processes,” the President revealed in the statement
He said, “The original plan for the Amnesty Programme by the administration of the late President, H. E. Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was to last for only 3 years within which to disarm in a period of 3 months, demobilize and reintegrate the ex-agitators into civil society within the remaining 2 years and 9 months.
“However, immediately after the disarmament phase, challenges including endemic corruption cropped in and derailed the Programme. Lack of enough funds and corruption were blamed for impeding the effective operationalization of the programme.”
“In view of the above, on assumption of office in 2015, President Buhari graciously reviewed upwards the annual financial allocation of the Programme from Thirty-five billion to Sixty-five billion naira to ensure that the ex-agitators were properly trained and re-integrated into the civil society.”
“Regrettably, the Programme has now been running for 11 years without the desired benefits delivered to the ex-agitators. Rather, the ex-agitator database was dishonestly corrupted, and several contracts were awarded in total disregard of need and procurement processes.
Consequently, the Programme is currently owning contractors the sum of N71,411,646,210.68. This informed Mr President’s decision to overhaul the Programme aimed at ensuring that the dividends of the Amnesty Programme reach its original target beneficiaries.”
The statement underlined the fact 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.
“This is why the Programme is part of a package designed to address the development and security issues in the region. Reports have shown that not much progress has been recorded in some aspects of the demobilization and reintegration components of the Programme.
To address this, the need to focus on education and vocational training in ways that the benefits are channeled through a transparent, accountable, corrupt-free and institutionalized process is imperative.” said the statement.
