- Chief Perekeme Kpodo believes that the office of Presidential Amnesty Programme must be probed
- Kpodo alleges that some politicians are sponsoring protests to keep Paul Boroh as chairman of the programme
- He pleads with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to urgently look into the books of the programme
The alleged move to get Brig General Paul Boroh fired by President Muhammadu Buhari is being halted by some desperate people who want to cover up their corrupt practices, Chief Perekeme Kpodo, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has said.
Kpodo, a former security adviser to the Bayelsa state government, said the competence of Boroh, the chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), had been called to question severally by the people of the Niger Delta region over rising cases of unpaid amnesty allowances, recurrent militancy and improper consultation.
He therefore said the sponsored protest against his removal remains unnecessary and a show of disloyalty.
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Kpodo, who is from the same Sagbama local government council area of Bayelsa state, argued in a statement made available to NAIJ.com that the sack of Boroh will reduce cases of militancy and improve consultation between the presidency and the youths from the creeks and waterways of the Niger Delta region.
“Though many Niger Delta elders had written petitions and called the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari to the rot and fraud in the amnesty programme under the leadership of Brig General Paul Boroh without success, the decision to sack him would be welcomed and needed to redeem the image of the anti-corruption campaign of the present administration.
“We are calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate the amnesty office under Paul Boroh because it stinks.
“Despite his affirmed incompetence, Boroh and his cohorts have plundered the amnesty funds with inflation of number of beneficiaries, diversion of funds and tampered contract payment.
“This is also what is going on with monies meant for amnesty being used to sponsor protest against his sack.
“The criminal trail left behind by the former amnesty Boss is being taken over under the present leadership. After disgraceful spending of amnesty money, we are shocked that Brig General Paul Boroh is desperately seeking to retain his office.
“President Buhari should, as a matter of policy, investigate how the last budgetary allocation was spent. How can the last allocation be expended without additional provision for inclusion of new beneficiaries
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“The presidency should as a matter of urgency invite the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to investigate petitions against the office.
“The amnesty office has become a conduit pipe for the various chairmen appointed under former President Good luck Jonathan, and now President Muhammadu Buhari. The investigation will end the embarrassing cases of militancy in the region,” he said among allegation that the list of ex-militants have been inflated.
NAIJ.com earlier reported that Chief Richard Perekeme Kpodo appealed to President Muhhamadu Buhari to involve the states in the selection and approval nominees for positions in boards and ministries.
Chief Kpodoh noted that the controversy that greeted the recent controversial list of nominees for positions of board appointments with dead and expelled party members is regrettable and urged the president to always consult state and national executive of the All Progressive Congress (APC).
At the time of this report, efforts to get Boroh's reaction was not successful.
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Source: Naija.ng