Prominent ex-militant leaders from the
The former warlords from the nine states of the
Mostly under the first phase of the amnesty programme, the former agitators under the umbrella of the Leadership, Peace and Cultural Development Initiative (LPCDI), asked the President to compel the oil multinationals operating in the
National President of the LPCDI, Pastor
He ascribed the peace being enjoyed in the region to the decision taken by the leaders including Chief Government Ekpemupolo, aka Tompolo, King Ateke Tom and Ebikabowei Victor Ben, Boyloaf, to embrace the programme, and indicated that there was the need to meet with the President Buhari to brainstorm on the way forward for the
He, however, commended the current administration for the increased number of appointments allocated to indigenes of the region and, according to him, the conscious effort to develop the
"We make a plea to the president to help complete the
"LPCDI pleads with the president to compel oil companies working in the region to engage the youths in the areas of their operations to avoid restiveness instead of importing workers from outside and thus sidelining the competent youths of the region who have the requisite skills to be employed.
This will bring pipeline vandalism to an end" they assured.
Also, the Rivers State Coordinator of the group, Groundville Ideye, popularly called Egbele suggested that if the Amnesty Office was well funded, it will enable the leaders and their protégés to attend leadership trainings abroad to develop capacity.
On alleged personality clashes among political appointees from the region, the ex-militant leaders cautioned that it was capable of causing a setback in the development of the region.
"We must come together and support our brothers. However, in cases where such public office holders refuse to do the right thing, we should take the option of paying a personal visit to the person and state our grievances rather than resorting to open slandering over the media.
"We currently have a number of our brothers like Chief Timipre Sylva (Petroleum Minister), Senator
"It was also resolved in the meeting to give our whole and total support to Prof.
"We call on the president to do more by engaging more of our youths as we promise him our total support. We use this opportunity to plead with our aggrieved brothers to channel all their complaint properly instead of taking laws into their hands. We cannot achieve development if we do not embrace peace".
Speaking on the content of the letter, the Financial Secretary of the group,
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