Date Published: 01/25/10

Niger Delta: Ogoni panel report rattles Minister

THE Patterson Ogon panel report on the rehabilitation and reorientation programmes of the Presidential Committee on Amnesty )PCA) for repentant militants rattled Defence Minister, Mr. Godwin Abbe, who also chairs the PCA.

An official of the committee told our correspondent in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, on Monday that the minister was shaken by the large volume of pictural evidence the Ogon panel produced to back up their claims.

The report was officially presented to the PCA in Abuja on Thursday.

Confirming the development on Monday, Ogon said the minister cum PCA chair has ordered for a fresh committee to be set up to harmonise the position of his panel report.

On Friday, we reported that an eight-man panel that was set up to review the post-amnesty deals for repentant militants of the Niger Delta,  roundly faulted the rehabilitation and training programmes of the PCA.

On Sunday January 10, 2010, ex-militants, youth leaders in the oil and gas region as well as a sub committee of the PCA on the Rehabilitation of the militants met in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital,  to review the workplan which had been drawn up by the PCA.

The eight-man panel which was headed by Patterson Ogon, the founding Director of the Ijaw Council for Human Rights (ICHR), in their report said that 80 per cent of the estimated cost for the running of the programmes is going to consultants and contractors, leaving the beneficiaries (ex-militants) with just 20 per cent..

Other members of the Ogon panel included Jonathan Owoupele, Hilda Dokubo (Secretary), Marshall Kunoun and Goodluck Emine.

Observations and recommendations raised by them in their report included the fact that 80 per cent of the N52 billion voted for post-amnesty rehabilitation was directed at the welfare of consultants and not the young men who are supposed to be rehabilitated and trained.

The committee also carried out an inspection of PCA suggested training centers in Yenagoa, Port Harcourt and Uyo discovered that more than 98 per cent of the suggested training centers (computer centers, tailoring centers, cobbler shops, mechanic workshops among others) were non-existent, ill-equipped, non-accredited and non-recognized. It was a particularly painful experience for the inspection and verification team.

Observations and recommendations of the Ogon panel is summarized as follows:

*       In spite of the declaration of amnesty, a large number of Niger Delta youths are still in detention. This shows a double standard position of peace and war.

* That more orientation and training camps be set up across the Niger Delta preferably in places like Cross Rivers State with large acres of virgin which can be equipped and transformed with temporary structures to contain the large numbers of trainees.

* The institutions recommended by the PCA for training are a sham. Almost all of them are ill-equipped, non-accredited and non recognized.

* We believe that the current stated numbers (20,000) of those who have accepted amnesty is far over blown. Current numbers should be verified from leaders of agitating groups..

* Oil and gas training was not given adequate mention in the PCA work plan.

* All training centers endorsed for training must have atleast a National Accreditation that gives it authority to award appropriately recognized certificates which are acceptable at all levels of employment.

* World class oil and gas training centers such as Petro-Skills, Univation and Maritime Academy Oron should be co-opted to assist in the development of oil and gas training programmes.

Meanwhile, the new harmonisation committee which has Ogonand Hilda Dokubo as members, is expected to commence meeting in Abuja tomorrow (Tuesday).