The Federal Government has paid two out of four months outstanding stipends owed former Niger Delta militants under the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

Mr Ramsey Mukoro, leader of the 3rd phase of the amnesty programme, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday that some former agitators had received two out of four months’ salary backlog.

“The Amnesty Office has started paying but my third phase people have yet to get alerts, we are hoping that we in the third phase will benefit as well.

“It has really been difficult for us and we spend Christmas and New Year on empty stomach. They should try and make it go round,’’ Mukoro said.

Mr Piriye Kiyaramo, the Liaison Officer at the Bayelsa Office of the Presidential Amnesty Office, told NAN that the Amnesty office began the payment after the new year holidays.

“The office commenced payment of the outstanding stipends this week after the new year, precisely on Wednesday.

“The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, retired Brig.- General Paul Boroh is concerned about the welfare of beneficiaries in the programme.

“He would stop at nothing until a sustainable reintegration of the ex-agitators into the society with sustainable source of livelihood,’’ he said in a statement