Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday reappointed Col. Milland Dikio (Rtd) as the Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme for another one-year tenure.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, announced the reappointment of Dikio for another one year on his verified Facebook handle.
According to Adesina, Dikio has in the last one year, consolidated his position as head of Presidential Amnesty Programme.
“President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the renewal of appointment of Col Milland Dikio (Rtd) as Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme for another one-year tenure.
“Col. Dikio was first appointed in August 2020, and has, despite the challenges, been able to command widespread respect amongst the various stakeholders in the Niger Delta,” Adesina said.
Meanwhile, some ex-militants in the Niger Delta region have commended President Muhamadu Buhari for reappointing Col Milland Dikio (Rtd) as Interim Administrator of the Amnesty Programme.
Chairman of the Third Phase of the Presidential Amnesty, Tonye Bobo, said President Buhari took the right decision in Dikio’s reappointment in the interest of peace and stability of the Niger Delta.
Bobo assured Dikio of the support of ex-agitators, especially those in the third phase, adding that haven keyed into his vision, they will work with him to achieve it.
“Dikio has shown capacity, he has demonstrated in the last one year that he understands the workings of the programme and when you listen to his vision and template, it is obvious he knows what is best for the ex-agitators and the region as a whole.
“What we are going to appeal to him is to look into the issues that are pending before him like that of the undocumented ex-agitators and see how they can be captured because they have suffered a lot. For us we will work with him to achieve his desired goal for the Niger Delta”, he said.
Also , another ex-militant leader, Umoh Kingsley, noted that ex-agitators from Akwa Ibom were delighted with Dikio’s reappointment.
Umoh disclosed that Dikio has repositioned the scheme and given them hope with policies to make them entreprenuers rather than depending on stipends.
