The Interim Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Col. Milland Dixion Dikio (retd) has appealed to the newly inaugurated leadership of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) to adopt new approach in its agitation to attract development to the Niger Delta region.

Dikio, who spoke in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, during the inauguration of the new President, INC, Prof. Benjamin Okaba and his National executive Committee, said it was time Ijaw elders embraced development-focused mindset to ensure transformation of the region.

Congratulating the INC for a successful election, the amnesty boss pledged to partner with the congress for positive advancement of the Niger Delta describing the inauguration as the dawn of a new day in Ijawland.

He insisted that the INC should adopt a new thinking and a new approach of seeking to achieve its desires through strategic collaborations.

Dikio said the agitations in the region should move from the streets to boardrooms to rewrite the ugly narrative in the Niger Delta.

He said: “My appeal, therefore, to the new INC leadership is to have a development focused mindset that will see to the transformation of the region. Its engagement with critical stakeholders, including the federal government and the IOCs should be targeted at attracting development and the need to consolidate on our quest for continued and sustained peace in the region”.

Dikio said the PAP under his leadership was committed to such strategic collaborations with government at all levels in the region including organisations like the INC in the interest of development.

He noted that his leadership had refocused PAP to turn the people of the region, ex-agitators and youths into entrepreneurs and employable citizens with capacity to contribute to the economy of the region.

He said: “The Presidential Amnesty Programme under my leadership is committed to pursuing such strategic collaborations and partnerships with governments at all levels in the region, including working with bodies like the INC to advance the cause of development and peace in our region.

“To this end, we have refocused the PAP to turn our people, ex-agitators and the youths in our region into Entrepreneurs and employable citizens who will be net contributors to the economy of the region.

“We all have a duty to work for the continued peace and development of the region. Our agitation should move from the streets to the boardrooms.

“We owe it to ourselves and posterity to rewrite the ugly narrative of the region. The Niger Delta deserves better but we all must work together with the clear resolve to ensure that our dream for the region is realized”.