Pay backlog of our stipends – Ex-militants tell Buhari

The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) on Wednesday called on the Federal Government to pay the backlog of stipends owed ex-militants.

Mr Eric Omare, the council’s Spokesman, made the call in a statement made available to newsmen in Warri, Delta.

Omare said that the IYC was not happy with the disposition of Gen.Paul Boroh (rtd), Coordinator of Amnesty Programme toward facilitating the release of the stipends from the government.

He said that Boroh had attributed the delay in the payment to the Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy of the government.

“Niger Delta ex-militants under the amnesty programme are being owed five months arrears of stipends,’’ he stated.

The spokesman said that the non-payment had subjected the ex-militants to untold hardship and `miserable’ Christmas celebration.

“We also call on the National Security Adviser (NSA), Gen. Babagana Munguno, under whose office the amnesty programme is domiciled, to take steps to immediately effect the payments to avoid unnecessary hostility,” he said.

However, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) earlier, Boroh reassured the ex-militants of payment of the stipends, urging them not to be agitated by the delay.

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” I am assuring all beneficiaries under the programme that arrangements are being made to fast-track the payment of their stipends as soon as the Amnesty Office receives its allocation,” Boroh had said.

According to him, the Federal Government is aware of the pains the ex-militants are going through and will ensure that they get their stipends soon.