The Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Colonel Milland Dixon Dikio (retd), has assured ex-agitators in the Nider Delta region that payment of their monthly stipends will be prompt.

He gave the assurance in Port Harcourt, Rivers State during a meeting with the leadership of phase 1, 2 and 3 of the PAP.

Dikio, who is on a tour to the Niger Delta region said the prompt payment of the stipends was part of the far-reaching reforms he has introduced to the programme.

He said there were too many bureaucracy in the system which often resulted in the incessant delays in the payment of the N65,000 monthly stipend.

The PAP boss said his tour was aimed at taking the programme back to the people which was the original idea at inception.

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“The PAP is a programme that was designed especially for ex-agitators. If you are not an ex-agitator, you’re a stranger. I don’t see why it will be the other way.

“I was told by some people not to come that the region is not safe. Why should I be in this office and not visit my main area of operation? So, I said I must come so that we can see eyeball-to-eyeball, let me hear from you the issues so that together we can begin to discuss how to move on.

“I was in Okochiri in Okrika yesteday where I met with the Big 5 in the palace of King Ateke Tom and it was a fruitful meeting. Today, I am also meeting with you all to reinforce my vision for the PAP.

“Over time people have confused the programme for the package. They are different and it is good that you understand that so that we can all be on the same page.

“Since I came, I have been undertaken some reforms to ensure that we get it right. So the issue of your monthly stipends will be paid every 25th of the month. It’s not rocket science. All that was needed to do was to put the accounting process in order.”