
Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN. has said that the Federal Government would engage state governments in measures it is evolving to address the deplorable conditions of the border communities of the country.
A statement by Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant, in the Office of the Vice President, quotes Prof. Osinbajo as saying that “our border communities are in a state of despair, we need to pay a lot of attention to them,” stressing, however, that “without the states we will not be able to achieve much either with the border communities or the boundary commission.”
He offered to make presentation to the Governors at the National Economic Council (NEC), in order to highlight the enormity of the challenges.
Speaking Friday when he received the Senate Committee on States and Local Governments led by its Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Gumel and the Chief Executives of Border Communities Development Agency and the National Boundary Commission at the State House, Abuja, the Vice President said “border communities are places where you need to ensure are stable.”
He, however, noted that phased approach to tackling the problems of these communities will be taken, considering government’s lean resources.
He also noted that roads, markets, schools and other basic social infrastructure must be provided at the border communities, to avoid intrusion by foreigners.
Earlier, Senator Gumel told the Vice President that they were at the State House to brief him on the result of their oversight conducted on some of the border communities with the finding that facilities at the border communities are in a state of disrepair.
Both the Director General, National Boundary Commission, Dr. Mohammed Ahmed and Executive Secretary, Border Communities Development Agency, Engr, Numoipre Wills attended the meeting.