Bishops praises Presidential Amnesty Programme

Bishops and Clergy Council of Niger Delta, Nigeria (BCCNDN) has commended the Presidential Amnesty Programme for its positive impact on the lives of Niger Delta people.

The association made the commendation on Tuesday when they visited Prof. Charles Dokubo, Coordinator of the Programme.

The gospel ministers, whose mission fields were in various parts of the region, noted that skills acquisition and other projects of the Programme initiated by Dokubo had yielded positive results and drastically reduced militancy.

Archbishop of Calvary Temple, Port Harcourt, Boma Lawson, who spoke on behalf of the 22-member delegation, pledged their support to the amnesty coordinator.

“The main reason for this visit is to identify with you and to encourage you for the good work you have been doing since your appointment.

“Since your inauguration as coordinator of the Amnesty Programme, we have noticed tremendous improvement in the lives of our people.

“Incidents of pipeline vandalism, kidnapping of oil workers and attacks on the national economy is almost becoming a thing of the past.

“The other reason for the visit is to register our support for the present management of the Amnesty Programme.’’

Lawson expressed the desire of the group to partner the office in the area of counseling ex-agitators enrolled in the programme.

According to them, this is to restore morals that will impart positively in the lives of beneficiaries of the programme.

In his remarks, Dokubo urged the council to always use their churches to inform people of Niger Delta the need to utilise the opportunity given to them.

“We have trained people; pilots, doctors and lawyers among others. We have all of them here in the programme.

“So, you have gotten these things, it was through conflict that the Amnesty Programme was created.

“Now, as part of conflict resolution, they have set up organisations and agencies to deal with our people because of our peculiar situation.

“If we do not use it well, the fault will not be in our stars, but in ourselves. That is the way it will be.”

The  bishops conferred on the Amnesty Coordinator “Apostle of Peace” award.