Elizabeth Vincent, Yenagoa
Ibena Rufus Salvation, the National Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) Phase 2, has called on President Bola Tinubu and National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu to remove the PAP account from the Treasury Single Account (TSA).
The plea was made on Sunday in Yenagoa, following an emergency meeting with other Phase 2 leaders and delegates. The purpose of the meeting was to explain the reasons behind the delay in the payment of stipends to PAP beneficiaries.
Ibena urged the leaders and beneficiaries of Phase 1, 2, and 3 to remain patient and calm, emphasizing that the delay in payment was not due to any fault of the PAP office or its Administrator, Dr. Dennis Otuaro. Instead, the delay, according to Ibena, is a result of the TSA system implemented by the federal government.
He appealed to President Tinubu and NSA Ribadu to consider exempting the PAP office from the TSA system to allow for smoother operations and timely disbursement of funds. Ibena argued that the TSA is not suited for the Amnesty Office, which he described as a security-related institution that often faces urgent and emergency situations.
“We are asking the President to remove the PAP office’s account from the TSA to avoid delays,” Ibena stated. “This office is a security office, and the delays in payments could lead to misunderstandings and misinterpretations among beneficiaries.”
Ibena further noted that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister’s office had been exempted from the TSA system, thanks to the President’s veto power. He suggested that a similar exemption should be considered for the PAP office.
“We understand that the FCT Minister’s office does not use the TSA, as the President granted them an exemption. We are asking for the same consideration for the PAP office, which handles sensitive security matters and often requires immediate financial access.”
On behalf of PAP leaders and beneficiaries, Ibena urged President Tinubu and NSA Ribadu to take action to release the PAP office from the TSA, ensuring that the office can function more effectively and respond to its responsibilities without unnecessary delays.
