Niger Delta Amnesty: Dixon promises to live up to expectations

The newly appointed Interim Administrator for the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Col. Milland Dikio Dixon (rtd), has promised to live to expectation.

He also said he will clear the cobwebs in the programme and work with the stakeholders in the Niger Delta.

He said the narrative about the Amnesty Programme must change.

Dixon, who spoke while taking over in Abuja from the chairman of Caretaker Committee of the Amnesty Programme, Ambassador Aminu Lawal, said service delivery is his priority.

A statement by the Director of Information, Mrs. Florence Dibiaezue-Eke, quoted him as saying: ”The new administration does not intend to dwell on the past but we shall not neglect the lessons of the past. If we learn well, we will do better.

“Essentially, I am here to render service. All hands must be on deck to ensure that we successfully achieve the purpose for which the Federal Government set up the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) Programme.

He said he was “going to work through consensus and facts to collaborate and cooperate with agencies that are complementary to the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP)”.

Dixon added: ”A lot of fictions and misconceptions had been put out in the public domain about what the Amnesty Programme is. This narrative has to change.

Unfolding his agenda, Dixon said the Programme will be “focused on service delivery.”

He said: “The primary purpose shall be to focus on the reintegration of the ex-agitators and seek the input of relevant stakeholders in the region to realize the objectives for which this programme was set up.

“I thank President Muhammadu Buhari for this appointment; I intend to work towards justifying Mr. President’s confidence reposed in me.

He also said that he intends to clear the ‘cobwebs’ so that people will know the difference between the Amnesty Programme and what he called the Presidential Amnesty Package.

The Presidential Amnesty Programme entails Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) – a subset of the Amnesty Package. The Amnesty Package is a basket of government avowed plans to address and ameliorate the grievances that led to the agitations and subsequent armed struggle in the Niger Delta.

Dixon, while thanking the Chairman, Caretaker Committee, for successfully holding forte, assured the management staff of his readiness to work with everybody.

Stressing that accountability is a ‘two-way street’, he said: “I am committed to repositioning the office on the path of service delivery through inclusive leadership,” he assured.

The administrator implored the management to be open-minded and urged all to imbibe the culture of collective responsibility.

Ambassador Lawal thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for the opportunity given to the members of the committee to serve.

He said the President has “approved all the recommendations of the committee on the smooth running of the Programme.

He commended the management for their cooperation, urging them to extend the hand of fellowship to the Interim Administrator to ensure the success of the DDR Programme.

The Director, Finance and Accounts, Mr. Isaac Ityohuma, said the management has “resolved to turn a new leaf and correct the past mistakes”. The management pledges unalloyed loyalty and support for the Interim Administrator.”