From Ben Dunno, Warri
A group, South South Reawakening Group (SSRG), has condemned in strong terms the sponsored attacks on Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Program, General Barry Tariye Ndiomu (retd), describing the campaign of calumny as a disservice to regional interest.
The body in a statement by its Convener, Comrade Joseph Ambakederimo, made available to newsmen in Warri, yesterday, urged those denting the Coordinator’s image to desist from such senseless and irresponsible act designed by a few disgruntled politicians for selfish gains rather than the collective interest of the region.
Ambakederimo, who doubled as Chairman Board of Trustees Community Development Committees of Niger Delta Oil and Gas Producing Areas, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, to ignore whatever petition presently before them against the Amnesty Coordinator, dismissing the allegations as baseless and unfounded.
The statement read in part;
“We have observed with dismay the consistent and well coordinated sponsored harassment, intimidation and oppression of the Presidential Amnesty Programme Coordinator, General Barry Tariye Ndiomu (retd).”
“We call on those whom have made it their pass time to stop this unwarranted mob attack and allow the Coordinator to be focused on it’s mandate to turn around the Amnesty Programme from the brink of collapse that he met the establishment he inherited from the past leadership due to large scale mismanagement of the resources”.
“This unwarranted attack is noxious, objectionable, disgusting and despicable act is unbecoming of a people who are bent on lining their pockets to the detriment of the targeted segment in our society”.
“The spurious allegation of meddling in partisan activities and mismanagement of resources is neither here nor there all in a bid to smear and characterise the leadership as incompetent and corrupt is only in the imagination of the naysayers”.
“We urge the National Security Adviser Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and President Bola Tinubu, whom countless petitions have been made to, to discountenanced these fathom petitions that are clearly directed to malign an innocent man”.
“We have had too much political interference in the leadership of the Presidential Amnesty Programme up to the point now no can can be held to account for gross mismanagement of resources in the past”.
“The high turnover of the leadership must stop and the present coordinator General Barry Ndiomu (retd), should be allowed to concentrate on his work”.
“The Coordinator has so far brought fresh ideas, new thinking and a repackaged programmes to geared towards galvanising the original plan of the programme to achieve it’s core mandate of Reintegration of erstwhile militants to redefined themselves with purposeful impact on society”.
“But from all indications, it appears this reversal to the original plan of action of the programme is not sitting well with a section of our people who prefers to continue to do things the old way”.
“We urge our brothers and sisters within and without to allow a peaceful atmosphere devoid of intimidation to enable the Coordinator to reposition the programme for effective service delivery for the good of the region and indeed Nigeria”.
“No doubt there has been successes recorded so far under the leadership of General Barry Ndiomu. The formation of the cooperative and funding mechanism for a robust management of post Amnesty life is viewed by many as a master stroke”
“Also the restructured and timely payment of scholarship to beneficiaries, the continued training of participants in core areas of needs and many other achievements made in a short period confirms the Retired General is well equipped to deliver as expected”.
“Therefore we urge everyone to give support to the Coordinator for him to further explore and bring his wealth of experience to the benefit of our people,” it concluded.