Beneficiaries of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, or PAP, Phase 2, have urged President Bola Tinubu to take into account raising the monthly stipends given to the former agitators in the Niger Delta.
In an appeal released on Sunday, PAP Phase 2 national chairman Ibena Rufus Salvation bemoaned the unsustainable nature of the N65,000 monthly stipend that beneficiaries receive, considering the current situation of the economy.
According to Ibena, a reassessment of their stipends will mitigate the impact of the nation’s ongoing hyper-inflation, which is also essential for maintaining calm in the Niger Delta area.
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The President’s renewed willingness to holding talks with organised labour was welcomed by him, as it led to the suspension of the indefinite strike that nearly crippled socio-economic activities in the country.
For the sake of all Nigerians, Ibena encouraged the Federal Government to make sure that the new minimum wage covers all areas of the nation, especially the recipients of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, who have been receiving a monthly stipend of N65,000 since 2009.
“We respectfully advocate for including the beneficiaries of the Presidential Amnesty Programme in the recent wage increment initiatives.
“The skyrocketing prices of goods and services in the local markets only exacerbate the frustrations of the youths in the Niger Delta region. Some necessities have become unaffordable luxuries, pushing the Niger Delta youths to the brink of despair.
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“In 2024, the inflation rate is 33.69 percent, a litre of petrol goes for N750 – N800, and the exchange rate of the naira to the dollar is between N1435 – N1472. This clearly shows that the Niger Delta ex-agitators can no longer survive on N65,000. Hence, it is time for the stipend to be increased,” the statement said.
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