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FG Urges Collaboraion In Border Communities’ Dev …As Senate Alerts On Insecurity
Vice President Namadi Sambo, has called for more collaboration between the Federal, States and Local Government Areas to ensure rapid development of the border communities.
Sambo made the call last Saturday in a special meeting with members of the Senate Committee on Border Communities in Abuja.
He stated that forming synergy with the 21 border communities would address the challenges of providing social amenities to the affected communities.
He advocated for a scientific plan of action by the three tiers of governments to address the inadequate social amenities in these communities.
“In the last meeting, we have discussed the issue of providing the border communities with social amenities like power, schools, water and others.
“I have directed that since these communities belong to states and local governments, the National Boundary Commission, states and local government chairmen should form a committee with Governors or Deputy Governors as members so that we will have a unified programme with the Federal Government to work on these issues.”
Sambo noted that he was well briefed by the agencies involved on the challenges such as lack of funds and other constraints faced by the Commission.
He, however, expressed optimism that in the 2012 budget, there would be adequate budgetary provision for the Commission to enable it carry out developmental projects in the communities.
He also noted that the case involving the Surveyor-General of the Federation, the Director General of the Boundary Commission and Minister of Works had been resolved amicably, saying that “they are performing their duties accordingly.”
Earlier, the Committee Chairman, Sen. Kabiru Gaya, highlighted the challenges confronting the border communities to include lack of infrastructure like electricity, water and transportation, schools and medical facilities as well as lack of funds by the Commission.
He called on the Federal Government to look into the issue of developing and providing social infrastructure to the border communities to forestall what happened to Bakassi, which the country lost to the Cameroon.
Gaya also cited a case with one local government in Ogun State, which, he said, “Nigeria is about to lose again if adequate care is not taken.”
Meanwhile, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Local and State Governments, Sen. Kabiru Gaya, has raised alarm over the increasing cases of insecurity in the nation’s border communities.
Gaya who was fielding questions from newsmen in Abuja on Sunday, also frowned at what he described as “almost total neglect” of communities in the border areas.
He warned that if government failed to address the challenges, Nigeria might lose some local government areas to its neighbouring countries, adding that already, the country was about to lose a local government area in Ogun if adequate care was not taken.
“We are very much concerned and worried about the issue of the neglect of those communities in the border areas and the insecurity also in those areas.
“So, we have discussed with the vice-president who is the chairman in charge of those agencies.
“I’m sure from the assurance we got from the vice-president, I believe the government of the federation will be able to handle some of these issues.”
Gaya stated that the National Assembly on its part would collaborate with the three tiers of government to address the challenges of the border communities.
He identified lack of social infrastructure as the major problem confronting the communities and appealed to government to assist the people by providing needed infrastructure.
Gaya said that the senate Committee on Border Matters had resolved to draw a comprehensive plan on how best to tackle the problems facing the communities.
Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.