By Cletus Opukeme, Warri
The Niger Delta ex-agitators have appealed to President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to increase the amnesty monthly stipend from N65,000 to N150,000 looking at the reality of skyrocketing cost of essential commodities in the market in the country.
The ex-agitators General John Enakumor, General Paul, Capt. Mark in their various speeches during the coordinator of the Amnesty programme, Dr. Dennis Otuaro stakeholders meeting in Warri, said that the current economic realities is harsh and they could not manage their families with the N65,000 which the federal government has been paying since 2009.
They said that ” Garri basket is now N4,000 in some markets and bag of Nigerian rice bag is N90,000 and above. We cannot continue to survive in the country with that N65,000. We appeal to our Oga, Chief Dennis Otuaro, chairman of the Amnesty programme to discuss with Mr. President to increase our monthly stipend from N65,000 to N150,000” they appealed.