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.