Development of border communities to prevent conflicts, migration-NBC
Development of border communities to prevent conflicts, migration-NBC
By Tada Jutha, Maiduguri
The African Union (AU) National Border Development policy; was to critically provide infrastructural facilities in the 21 states border communities to prevent conflicts and migrations.
The border areas development policy, according to the National Boundary Commission (NBC) was adopted in 2007 by the AU Council of Ministers.
NBC’s Director-General, Adamu Adaji disclosed this at the weekend in Maiduguri at an interactive three-day session with border community stakeholders.
According to him, the AU committee wanted to make border areas peaceful in the 10 councils with Chad, Niger and Cameroon.
The councils include Marte, Monguno, Kala/Balge, Bama, Gwoza, Mobbar, Dikwa, Kukawa, Guzamala and Abadam.
“The border council areas are to stimulate economic growth and development with the three neighbouring countries,” he said.
Adaji, who was represented by Aliyu Hamza Danagalan; added that the Commission’s activities in the border areas were to enhance security in the border states.
He noted the state is accorded priority as its shares borders with three countries for infrastructural facilities and other development projects.
He, however; lamented that the state is the most ravaged by the 12-year Boko Haram insurgency.
“This Commission has taken steps in adopting the border development policy of the AU,” he noted.
The border development policy; was a requirement for Nigeria to access financial resources earmarked by AU for the development programme.
Governor Babagana Zulum, who was represented by his Deputy, Umar Kadafur; urged the Commission to ensure equitable siting of development projects.
He assured that the Community border projects could also reduce conflicts and migration of people to neighbouring countries.
On border areas’ infrastructural facilities, the Council Chairman of Gwoza, Prof. Ibrahim Bukar said: “Unfortunately, all the 10 councils lack social amenities for electricity, water supply, roads, healthcare and security to protect people’s lives.”
He said people from Kirawa, Ashigashiya, Agapalawa, Atagara, Ngoshe and Barawa communities travel to Kwaza and Kwalofata in Cameroon for healthcare services.
“Their medical doctors and nurses are committed to attaining to patients from Nigeria,” he said.
He noted that; because of the commitments of health workers, the people from Gwoza ‘trust and believe’ that health facilities in the neighbouring country are better than the ones in council.
