Not fewer than 3 persons were arrested on Monday as Trainees of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) across the Niger Delta states storm Mbiama in a protest demanding for their empowerment benefits.
The protesters were calling for payment of their empowerment benefits which have not been paid to them since the completion of their seven months training and graduation last year August 2022, almost eight months now.
Speaking during the protest, Comr Onisofien Odum, one of the trainee from Bradama International Skills Works Training Center Ondo State, expressed his displeasure and called on the Interim Administrator, Major-General Barry Ndiomu (Rtd), to pay up the astanding Empowerment benefits to the Trainees who have successfully completed the training across the Niger Delta states.
He noted that the empowerment benefits for graduands is taking so long after graduation and warned that the PAP trainees will continue to resort to protest until they receive their empowerment benefits.
“We are beneficiaries of the presidential amnesty programme (PAP) we have undergone the necessary training for seven months which qualify us for the empowerment benefits,” he said.
Also, Comr Amass Sunup frowned at Gen. Ndiomu’s nonfulfillment of promise to pay trainees, saying that all peaceful channels used by them to reach PAP proves abortive.
“When Ndiomu came into office, he promised to pay us our entitlements, but up till now, nothing is done in respect to this. We have waited for so long, we have gone through several means of conflict resolution method to curb protest but it always prove abortive. We ask on Ndiomu to pay us our empowerment benefits which is our right, or else, protest against this inhumane act will always continue,” he said.
Also speaking, Comr Maclean Odeam of Bradama center Ondo State, condemned the arrest of three delegates by the Nigerian army during the protest.
He said, “this is a clear intimidation against armless protesters who are demanding for their right. We are calling on the Nigerian army for a quick release of the three delegates to avoid escalation of further problems.”
He stressed that the military shouldn’t be used as a tool against unarmed citizens who are protesting for their fundermental right in a democratic dispensation.
Meanwhile, efforts to reach PAP was not successful at the filing of this report.
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