THE Bill seeking to give legal backing to the Federal Government Amnesty Programme for former militants in the Niger Delta region yesterday passed through second reading in the House of Representatives.
Recall that the late former President, Umaru Yar’adua had in 2009 initiated the Amnesty Programme for the militants in the Niger Delta region to lay down their arms and stop other criminal activities which was as a result of the deprivation the region suffered because of oil without the commensurate development.
The bill titled, a Bill for an Act to Establish the Presidential Programme on Rehabilitation and Reintegration for the Implementation of the Presidential Amnesty Programme in the Niger Delta Area of Nigeria was sponsored by Rep Oluwole Oke.
The lawmaker in his lead debate stated that there was no law in place governing the amnesty programme and that due to no law guiding the programme, it was often faced by problem of oversighting those managing the amnesty programme.
He also said that there was no proposed exit date for the amensty programme which he said ought not to be.
According to him, “As long as the amnesty programme received support, it succeeded. The Amensty programme has not only succeeded in addressing the issue of militancy, violence, human resource development and stabilised crude oil and gas production but has also tackled the challenge of huge youth unemployment and restiveness which are precursors to violence and insecurity in the Niger Delta”.
The bill passed through second reading when it was put to vote by the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara who presided over the plenary.
Recall that the late former President, Umaru Yar’adua had in 2009 initiated the Amnesty Programme for the militants in the Niger Delta region to lay down their arms and stop other criminal activities which was as a result of the deprivation the region suffered because of oil without the commensurate development.
The bill titled, a Bill for an Act to Establish the Presidential Programme on Rehabilitation and Reintegration for the Implementation of the Presidential Amnesty Programme in the Niger Delta Area of Nigeria was sponsored by Rep Oluwole Oke.
The lawmaker in his lead debate stated that there was no law in place governing the amnesty programme and that due to no law guiding the programme, it was often faced by problem of oversighting those managing the amnesty programme.
He also said that there was no proposed exit date for the amensty programme which he said ought not to be.
According to him, “As long as the amnesty programme received support, it succeeded. The Amensty programme has not only succeeded in addressing the issue of militancy, violence, human resource development and stabilised crude oil and gas production but has also tackled the challenge of huge youth unemployment and restiveness which are precursors to violence and insecurity in the Niger Delta”.
The bill passed through second reading when it was put to vote by the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara who presided over the plenary.
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