Next year, the Federal Government plans
to spend over N88 billion on the Amnesty Programme, N16 billion more
than what it is spending this year, raising concern in some quaters,
writes LEKE SALAUDEEN
BY the time this year ends, the Federal Government is expected to
have spent about N72billion on its Amnesty Programme for repentant Niger
Delta militants. This is more than what it spends to deliver basic
education to children.
Next year, it plans to spend more on the programme, largely because
of a third phase, just approved by President Goodluck Jonathan. Over N88
billion will be sunk into the programme next year. Of this, 30,000
ex-militants will take home N23.6 billion as stipends. Another N35.4
billion will go into the re-integration of transformed ex-warlords.
N3.699 is earmarked for what is described as ‘presidential amnesty
programme’.
Three years ago, attacks ranging from theft to bombings to
kidnappings pummelled oil production to as low as 500,000 barrels on
some days. So, the government began spending hundreds of millions of
dollars a year to maintain an uneasy calm in the oil-rich delta.
Production is now back up to 2.6 million barrels daily of low-sulfur
crude.
Another move government adopted to ‘buy’ peace in the region was to
get the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to begin paying
ex-militant leaders such as Mujahhid Dokubo-Asari to protect oil
pipelines. Dokubo-Asari gets $9 million a year to pay his 4,000 former
foot soldiers to protect the pipelines they once attacked.
Gen. Ebikabowei “Boyloaf” Victor Ben and Gen. Ateke Tom get $3.8
million a year apiece to have their men guard pipelines. Government
“Tompolo” Ekpmupolo maintains a $22.9 million-a-year contract to do the
same.
But, oil theft appears to be on the rise again. Shell estimates that more than 150,000 barrels of oil are stolen daily.
Last month, President Goodluck Jonathan approved a third phase for
the Amnesty Programme, a development which analysts say mean the country
may commit millions of dollars to the programme next year.
The Special Adviser to the President on Research and Documentation,
Oronto Douglas, believes there is no better option than continuing to
‘buy’ peace.
He said: “If it’s too huge, what are the alternatives?”
Through the programme, 26, 358 former Niger Delta militants have been
trained in various vocational courses both at home and abroad.
The Jonathan administration claims that the amnesty proclamation is
the sincerest , boldest and most profound effort by any government of
Nigeria since 1960 to address the agitation for fairness, equity and
development in the oil- rich Niger Delta. The successful management of
the post-amnesty programme, said government, has ensured the return of
peace, safety, security and sustainable development to the region.
But some analysts have disagreed with the government’s position. To
them, the programme is selective and not in the interest of the majority
of the people of the Niger Delta. They claim that the programme is only
benefiting a few people. They believe part of the money could have been
used in setting up industries to create jobs for the unemployed youths
in the region and Nigeria at large.
The Co-ordinator, Ijaw Monitoring Group, Mr. Joseph Evah, said it has
failed to address unemployment, under-development and bunkering.
Evah told The Nation that those who have completed their training in
various vocations sponsored by the Presidential Amnesty Programme are
roaming the streets because they have no jobs. He said sending the
ex-militants for vocational training without planning for where to
absorb them after training has made the programme useless.
Evah said: “The beneficiaries are becoming restive because the
monthly allowances being paid them by government have stopped. If care
is not taken, the youths in Niger Delta are likely to return to the
creeks and foment trouble.”
According to him, the relative peace in the region endures because
the militant leaders and some of their followers were favoured by the
Amnesty Programme.
“But once the boys can no longer collect money from government, we will be back to square one in that region.
“Failure of the government to establish industries that would create
employment opportunities for the graduates of the vocational courses and
the teeming unemployed youths in the Niger Delta is one of the
shortcomings of the Presidential Amnesty Programme. The youths resorted
to carrying guns and distruption of oil companies operation because of
lack of jobs, they have no means of livelihood and no shelter on their
heads, whereas, the oil companies are mining crude oil worth billions of
dollar every day from the region. In the process of oil exploitation,
the farmlands, the rivers for fishing and the wells that serve as water
supply for the people are polluted.
“Niger Delta is endowed with resources for the establishment of
industries. If there is any region that should have monopoly of
industries in this country, it is Niger Delta. We have the refineries
located in the region. The bye-products of oil can be used in production
of textiles, plastic materials, like chairs and foam. Commercial
fishing is possible, given the proximity of the region to the sea. If
properly utilised, Nigeria can provide the fish need of the West African
countries. But all these potentials have not been translated into
fortunes. No single effort was made by the Presidential Amnesty to
create a single industry in the volatile region.
“I am sure government has spent nothing less than $1 billion on the
training of the ex- militants, with a view to reintegrating them. If
government has used $500 million to set up industries, the situation
would have been different. The economy of the Niger Delta region would
have changed. The living condition of the people would have improved.
What we need in that region is massive industrialisation that would
impact positively on the economic well-being of the people.”
Evah said the programme did not benefit all youths in the region. About 26,000 have benefited .
“The programme should not discriminate against those who did not go
to school. It should not benefit only militants but every able body in
the Niger Delta. Those carrying guns are less than one per cent. You
cannot rule out that those without guns would not spark one day.
“The money is there but the government is not spending it on human resources and economic development of the region,” he said.
Public Affairs analyst Emmanuel Aluede believes the amnesty programme
is flawed, illegal and not in the best interest of the majority of the
people of Niger Delta. Even though he believes the programme is
necessary, he insists that the huge investment approach of the amnesty
programme is not in the best interest of Nigerians. He frowned at the
way the programme has been implemented to cost several billions of naira
to benefit a few people that have committed crimes against the state.
“If you take a look at the programme partners, you will notice no
participants from the developed nations are involved, despite the fact
that these nations are the biggest contributors for development aid and
grant. These developed nations will be better placed to help groom
militants to acquire skills. No disrespect to the other 21 nations
involved, the majority, in my view, are not better than Nigeria, if we
had leaders who put the peoples’ interest before self interest.
“From information gathered from the various overseas training
programmes, several hundreds of millions in US dollars must have been
spent. I won’t be surprised if the government expenditure is beyond the
$1 billion for the security stabilisation in the Niger Delta through
disarmament, demobilisation, rehabilitation and sustainable
re-integration of ex-militants as pre-condition for medium and long term
development.
“Let’s assume that 50,000 will benefit from the programme at the end
of its implementation. Compare this number to the total number of youths
in the Niger Delta amount to several millions who remain law abiding
despite unemployment. A good percentage of them have at least School
Certificate or university degrees. Where is justice, fairness and equity
in this programme by leaving behind law abiding youths, whilst a
handful who chose the act of militancy to bring their message of
marginalisation to the attention of the Federal Government are moving
forward?
“The over $1 billion to be expended on the programme would have been
of greater value to the people of Niger Delta and Nigeria, if it was
used to upgrade our higher institutions both across Niger Delta and
Nigeria.”
On the pipeline security contracts awarded to Niger Delta militant
leaders, Aluede said the contract conflicts with the government’s policy
of disarming the militants. The same government is empowering them as
custodians for the security of the nation’s pipelines through lucrative
contracts totalling $49.6 million annually. Another conflict here is
that government has contracted out the responsibilities of the nation’s
security agencies where several billions of naira is invested annually.
“The award of pipelines security contracts to private entities puts
the nation’s security at risk. It would have been better and more cost
effective if a special military task force was set up to deliver a more
efficient and effective role. Militants who choose to remain as such
could be provided proper military training and discipline to take up
created positions within the new Special Task Force that is made up of
personnel from all our security forces”, Aluede added.
But Evah did not see anything wrong in awarding the pipelines security contract to the militant chiefs.
A collosal waste
Former Minister of Petroleum Prof. tam David-West said “the (amnesty) programme is good but it is being executed wrongly.”
This is why little has been achieved, he said.
“ The government is busy throwing money all over the place as if that
would make it work. You don’t buy peace with money. All the government
needs to do is to talk to the militants at the level they understand. If
you induced them with money, you are creating problem. Some of the
militants told me government has stopped giving them money as they used
to do. Government spoiled them with money and created more problems
among the youth in the Niger Delta.
“The programme has benefitted very few in the Niger Delta. Some of
them are more comfortable because of the largesse from government.
Imagine Asari Dokubo collecting $9 million annually in the name of
protecting the oil pipelines. A university professor earns N5 million
annually.
“There can be no development until the fundamental problem of
degradation of Niger Delta is addressed. To me it’s a colossal waste.
He said taking the ex-militants abroad for training is stupid.
David-West said: “Taking them to foreign countries for vocational
training is a stupid thing to do. Why don’t you organise training
programmes within the Niger Delta, get the trainers from abroad to do
the training on ground. Some of them have never being to Lagos, now you
are sending them to Europe and Middle East. Look at the cost implication
of sending thousands of militants abroad for training. Training is good
but it’s being done wrongly.”
He said the President cannot buy peace.
“I have said it before that government believes it can buy peace with
money. I can’t imagine giving out $49.6 million to the so called
militant leaders for a job that could be done by a joint military task
force. The best the government could do is to incorporate the militants
into the task force. We have done it before. The military with the
support of the militants have policed the pipelines and went after those
engaged in oil bunkering. Some of these militant leaders have no
followership. The contract is like buying goods you have not seen.”
Life after training
The programme has entrepreneurship scheme for 350 ex-militants in the Niger Delta.
Spokesman of the programme Daniel Alabrah told our correspondent that
the scheme was designed to equip and prepare the amnesty beneficiaries
to become self reliant and employers of labour.
Alabrah said rather than leave them idle after completing their
vocational training, a three-week intensive entrepreneurship programme
was designed for them preparatory to commencing their own business.
He added: “For those in this pilot post-training entrepreneurship
scheme, we are about to put them through a process where they can create
their own small business places. We will brand it, give them branded
equipment, seed money and see them become owners of small businesses
scattered around the Niger Delta or any place they choose to do business
in Nigeria.”
Alabrah stated that there would be a 12-month monitoring and
evaluation period for the beneficiaries when they were expected to
maintain log books and monthly reporting to see if they were growing in
the business. This, he further explained, would ensure that they go into
profitable ventures without nursing the fear of failure.
“We are collaborating with some banks to ensure proper funding and
monitoring of the scheme. Beneficiaries will not be given cash but they
will be required to state their business location, which will then be
paid for and properly equipped with the tools or items for their chosen,
he said.
Apart from the entrepreneurship scheme, Alabrah disclosed that the
Amnesty Programme is collaborating with government agencies to absorbing
them. About 130 have been employed in private and public sectors.
He said Jonathan has approved the inclusion of 3,642 ex-Niger Delta
militants in the Presidential Amnesty Programme bringing the number of
the former agitators undergoing reformation under the programme to
30,000.
TheNation
