The Presidential Amnesty Office on Thursday appealed to former agitators over unpaid allowances to be calm and eschew any act that would disturb the peace of the region.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Head of Media and Communications of the Office, Daniel Alabrah, in Abuja.
The statement said the appeal became necessary following the apprehension caused by the delay in the payment of the May 2015 stipends and in-training allowances to onshore and offshore beneficiaries.
It explained that the delay was occasioned by the ongoing transition process at the federal level.
It, however, assured the beneficiaries that the funds for the May 2015 stipends and other allowances of beneficiaries are intact.
Alabrah also said the office was awaiting the required directive for disbursement in the absence of a substantive chairman of the programme or a Special Adviser to oversee the programme.
He urged the former agitators to reciprocate the good gesture of President Muhammadu Buhari, who in his inauguration address assured Nigerians of investing heavily in the programme, by maintaining the peace.
He said: “This is a transition period. So, it is important for citizens and especially the former agitators to be patient with the new government.
“The government needs time to settle down to the serious business of governance.”
The office also denied an allegation by some former agitators that the Director of Finance and Accounts, Peter Ayoola, was planning to divert funds meant for the beneficiaries.
It said the allegation was not only spurious and unfounded, but also such act was impossible given the strict accounting system in place at the federal level.
The statement assured the agitators that the vision of the programme would be upheld and made to conform to the present realities.
Alabrah said in the last four years the programme had done better in terms of structure, programmes and implementation.
He said: “For instance, it has exceeded its conceptual target of 3 – 6 months artisan training and has evolved into training and producing properly certified technicians, artisans and other professionals in various fields.
“From 2012, the programme under Mr Kingsley Kuku also introduced educational schemes at the undergraduate and post-graduates levels.
“Today, no fewer than 4,000 youths are beneficiaries of this scheme.”
NAN.