Presidential Amnesty Programme: Protesters Block South-West Road

–Urge Dokubo To Pay Ezonebi

-Call On President Buhari, DSS, NSA To Wade Into The Matter

By Phil Abha

The delegates of the Ezonebi Training Centre, on Wednesday protested over the non-payment of their coordinator, Enetimi Evah Ezonebi.

The delegates blocked the southwest road in the early hours of the day, demanding the Presidential Amnesty Office to make payments to their coordinator for jobs completed.

They also appealed to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, National Security Adviser (NSA) and the DSS to call Professor Charles Dokubo to make payments to their coordinator for jobs completed in June 10, 2019.

The delegates came out to protest to show their disapproval of the non-payment of their coordinator for the training programme they all attended at Lagos for a duration of six months.

They further mentioned that their coordinator, Enetimi Evah, was a blessing and that the centre changed their lives for the better.

They said: “The coordinator ensured we were equipped with the right skills and all we needed to transform our mentality.”

According to them, at the graduation ceremony that held in Lagos June, 2019, they were awarded cash gifts, and are yet to receive the gift as a result of the non-payment.

Continuing, they disclosed that they were also unable to receive their TIN number, which is outstanding and thus decided to protest in order to collect what is due to them.

Furthermore, they hinted that if payments are not made quickly, they will go back to the creek and create unrest in the Niger Delta, as they urged the DSS to assist in making the payment process effective to avoid them going back to the creek. They also said that if they go back to the creek, Professor Charles Dokubo should be arrested as he is to be blamed for this, not them.

One of the delegates Melakpo Marvelous (leather work) said: “The Amnesty Office used our madam and gave her technical knockout, because Professor Charles Dokubo came for flag up at Ezonebi Training Centre. He also attended our mid training beach activity at Landmark and is aware of the progress we have made, which makes the way she is being treated bad.  

They used Ezonebi Training Centre and projected accomplishments to Nigeria in an elaborate graduation ceremony held at the Eko hotel Lagos in June, 2019.

They noted: “To us, we see this act as a technical knockout, as she has tried to get her outstanding payment from the office since June, but she is yet to receive it and in addition she has been restricted from getting into the office to process her payment. This is merely an act of wickedness from the office to a dedicated contractor.”

Another delegate, Madam Hilter, who was the best delegate in fashion works said: “When she called our Co-ordinator (Enetimi Evah) to redeem her cash gift, she was in tears and asked that I exercise patience as the office had not made payment to her.”

According to some of the delegates who were trained in Information Technology, they are yet to be empowered.

They aggrieved delegates earlier protested to Silverbird Television station, Lagos as regards the instant empowerment allegedly promised by Dokubo.

They further mentioned that the training centre was more of a rehabilitation facility for them, adding that they were so lucky to have been posted there, as no other training centre was interested in their growth and overall success.

Speaking further, they said that the coordinator was even awarded an excellence award by the Presidential Amnesty Office at their graduation.

They called on the amnesty office to make payments to her within the next two weeks, saying that failure to do this would force them to go back to the creek.

They added: “We urge President Muhammadu Buhari and his administration to take necessary actions in ensuring contractors (coordinators) are paid as they impact positively on our lives and the Niger Delta.”