Monguno
At least N712 billion had been wasted under the Niger Delta Amnesty Programme since 2011, the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, has said.
The NSA, who stated this when the Interim Administrator of the Niger Delta Amnesty Programme, Col. Milland Dikio (retd), visited President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Friday, blamed corruption for the problems associated with the programme established by late President Umaru Yar’Adua on June 24, 2009.
He said: “The predatory instincts of certain individuals came into the fore and the programme was turned upside down and as a result of this there were cases of corruption, waste and mismanagement within this period.
“At least N712 billion was wasted, basically unaccounted for, and this is due to so many issues — corruption being at the fore.
“Now, we realised that if the focus of the people who are supposed to drive this programme is to capsize the programme by allowing their own personal interest to come in, then we are all going to be in trouble because if the Niger Delta is in trouble, consequently, it will extend to the rest of the federation.
“Therefore, I had to take this step to advise Mr. President that this waste cannot go on. This programme is not supposed to be an open-ended programme; there is no place on the surface of this earth where programmes that are supposed to be palliatory will continue forever and at the end of the day becoming a big problem and entanglement for the government.”
