The Senate Committee on States and Local Governments Administration has disclosed the National Assembly will work to ensure that opportunities wasted in the Nigerian border communities as a result of insecurity and porosity are tackled head-on.
The chairman of the committee, Senator Binos Dauda Yaro, made this pledge at the opening of a two-day engagement with stakeholders in collaboration with Global Consult Limited in Abuja,
According to him, cross-border crimes have impeded development over the years stressing that his committee will work with relevant stakeholders with the view to integrate sub-national border community governments into the economic management of Nigeria.
Senator Yaro said that the rate of crimes witnessed at the border communities can also be traced to long years of neglect and lack of basic amenities in such areas.
“We are concerned about the development of our border communities, the security of the people living there as well as programmes that will give everyone a sense of belonging,” he said.
While expressing concerns that most of the border communities are not demarcated and properly defined, Yaro said that some of the conflicts are a result of no clear-cut defined borders.
He added the committee intends to make the engagement an annual event and urged the Local Governments to use the opportunity of the Local government autonomy to create positive impacts for the people living within the border communities for their well-being and development.
In their remarks, the deputy Governors of Abia, Gombe and Ekiti states expressed enthusiasm at the planned move by Nigerian Senate towards addressing the challenges facing Nigerians living in the border areas.
