By EBIOWEI LAWAL, Yenagoa

The office of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) said it has commenced investigation into allegations of fraudulent conversions of names in the list of beneficiaries and other irregularities that have led to the payment of stipends to some unqualified persons for the program.

The Interim Administrator of the program, Col. Milland Dikio (rtd), revealed that the investigation has led to the delay in payment of the N65, 000 monthly stipends to some beneficiaries of the programme who are affected by the internal probe.

Dikio while explaining the development in a statement signed, on Wednesday, by his Special Assistant on Media, reiterated that while PAP is committed to ensuring genuine beneficiaries received their monthly stipends regularly, he said the investigations will help to correct identified anomalies and cleanse the system of fraud.

He clarified that the ongoing verification led to a number of irregular payments as stipends meant for some names under investigation had to be suspended pending the outcome of the probe, assuring that the genuine beneficiaries affected by the ongoing probe would surely receive their stipends.

The amnesty boss appealed that the development did not warrant any kind of protests or disturbance of the peace and urged the beneficiaries to shelve any plan for such action.

Dikio reassured delegates that PAP was committed to keeping them the focus of the scheme with the aim of transforming them into contributors of the economy in line with the best standard of practice for reintegration.

He urged them to continue to support the programme and work together to make the Niger Delta the preferred place to live and do business. (Nigerian Tribune)

Update news