By Sunday Apah
WARRI — A prominent ex-agitator, High Chief Andabofa Opunama, has urged the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Chief Dennis Burutu Otuaro, to resist pressure from self-serving beneficiaries pushing for salary increases with the recently enhanced budgetary allocation.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Chief Opunama emphasized that the additional funding should instead be directed towards meaningful development projects and support for neglected groups within the Niger Delta region.
He stressed that resources should go towards empowering those who were part of the Niger Delta struggle but were not enlisted in the programme, as well as supporting widows of fallen agitators and investing in critical infrastructure across the region.
According to him, those demanding salary increments are mostly individuals who control multiple slots in the programme—ranging from 50 to as many as 300—seeking to enrich themselves at the expense of the wider community.
“These greedy beneficiaries know that when the salary is increased, they will benefit more, to the detriment of the larger Niger Delta population,” Opunama said.
He reminded stakeholders that the PAP, initiated by late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, was designed to address militancy, environmental degradation, and unemployment through youth rehabilitation and community development.
“The Amnesty Programme has always been about reintegration, peace-building, and regional development. The current focus should remain on identifying and supporting widows, jobless youths, the underprivileged, and those who were sidelined during the enlistment phase,” he said.
Opunama further advised that the increased allocation be used to provide vocational training, education, and economic empowerment, helping beneficiaries reintegrate fully into society.
He also highlighted the need for investment in roads, clean water projects, improved healthcare delivery, and community-driven development initiatives. According to him, these are more sustainable paths to peace and prosperity than salary increments for a few.
“Targeted assistance should be extended to vulnerable groups such as widows and the elderly. With a community-centric approach, ex-agitators can become drivers of positive change,” he added.
Opunama concluded that real transformation of the Niger Delta can only come from a shift in focus towards inclusive development that benefits the broader population, rather than a privileged few.
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