The Presidency on Tuesday said the N20 billion proposed for the Presidential Amnesty Programme in the 2016 budget is grossly inadequate.
A total sum of N60 billion was earmarked for the programme in the budget proposal.
The Presidency told the Senate that there was no doubt that most of its obligations in the Amnesty programme would be frustrated should that N20 billion be approved, instead of the N60billion listed for the programme in the budget.
The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Brig. Gen. Paul T. Boroh (rtd), stated this at a budget defence session with the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs.
Boroh, who is also the Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme in the region, insisted that a greater number of the 30, 000 ex-Niger Delta militants currently undergoing training overseas would not only be adversely affected, but may be recalled from their various programmes if that sum is approved.
He said, “In view of the foregoing, I urge you most sincerely to consider an upward review from the proposed N20 billion to N64,824,488,493.27 billion for the sustenance and reintegration of ex-agitators in the Presidential Amnesty Programme for the 2016 fiscal year.”
The fiscal document showed that of the N63.06 billion appropriated for the Amnesty programme in 2015, N63.02 billion was released.”
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