The Executive Secretary Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA), Captain Junaid Abdullahi and Management Members were on a two day working visit to Border Communities in Ipokia and Imeko-Afon Local Government Areas in Ogun State from Monday 1^st February, 2021 to Tuesday 2^nd February, 2021.

On arrival at Idiroko in Ipokia Local Government Area, the Executive Secretary and the BCDA Team paid a courtesy visit on the Oniko of Ikolaje, His Royal Majesty Oba John Olakunle Ojo. His Royal Majesty thanked the Executive Secretary and the Agency for responding to their request with the laudable transformer project to the community that has been without electricity for the past eleven (11) years.  The Executive Secretary and his entourage then proceeded to the historic Idiroko Border Post and had a robust interactive meeting with security chiefs manning the border post namely; Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Department of State Security (DSS) and the Ports Health Services and also discussed on areas of mutual collaboration.

The official commissioning of the 2.5MVA,33/11 KVA Injection Transformer and Ring Main Unit (RMU) at Ikolaje Idi-Iroko Substation, Ipokia Local Government Area by the Executive Secretary was greeted with fanfare and jubilation from the host community as the project has brought about a change in their socio-economic wellbeing. The next point of call was a visit to the Onipokia of Ipokia, His Royal Majesty Oba Adeniyi Olusola Olaniyan. The Onipokia of Ipokia requested that projects executed by BCDA situated in his domain like the Health Care Centre, Garri Processing Plant become fully operational and functional with the assistance of the Agency.

The Executive Secretary and his team also visited sites for BCDA 2021 Capital Projects in Imeko-Afon Border L.G.A. which include project site for the Construction of Border Market Stalls with Solar Powered Borehole and Overhead Tank in Igbogbo and project site for the Renovation of Classrooms in Muslim High School, Agbongi both in Imeko-Afon LGA. The Executive Secretary and his team had earlier paid a courtesy visit on the Onimeko of Imeko, His Royal Majesty Oba Benjamin Alabi Olanite at his palace. They discussed on possible areas of intervention by the Agency, like; roads, schools and other basic infrastructures as enumerated by key community stakeholders present at the meeting. The Executive Secretary acknowledged that the communities are primary stakeholders of the Agency and all will be done to ameliorate the lives and livelihoods of people living in the border communities.

The Executive Secretary BCDA, Captain Junaid Abdullahi, accompanied by Management Members of the Agency paid a courtesy visit to the Honourable Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola who is also a member of the Governing Board of the Agency. The visiting team were warmly received by the Honourable Minister and Management Members of the Ministry.

The purpose of the courtesy visit was to seek possible areas of collaboration and partnership for the benefit of people living in the Nation’s Border Communities.

The Executive Secretary in his address, thanked the Honourable Minister for his incisive contributions during the Agency’s Governing Board meetings specifically the virtual board meeting held on the 20^th, December, 2020 during which Minister raised salient points that are very important to the Agency’s Strategic Action Plan. He went further to solicit the collaboration and cooperation of the Ministry of Interior and other stakeholder Agencies under its supervision towards the successful implementation of BCDA’s 5 Year Strategic Action Plan.

The Honourable Minister in his response observed that, though the Agency is seriously underfunded to carry out its mandate, it remains a strategic Agency of the Federal Government and a purpose vehicle to bringing government’s presence to the people living in the Border Communities. He stated further that he’ll support and push for adequate funding of the Agency at the Executive level. The Minister also advocated for a security component in the BCDA 5 Year Strategic Action Plan that will involve collaboration with relevant Security Agencies whereby sensitization programs/activities would be jointly carried out for the benefit of the people residing in the Border Communities. 

His Royal Majesty, Dr. Shehu Baju Audu II, The Chief of Mambilla and Chairman Sadauna Local Government Traditional Council, Taraba State and Members of his Royal entourage payed a courtesy visit to the Executive Secretary Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA) on 30th October 2020, at the Agency’s Corporate Head office in Abuja. The visit was to acknowledge and appreciate the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA) for its interventions in providing socio economic infrastructure in Mambilla Plateau.

In his welcome speech, the Executive Secretary (BCDA) Capt. Junaid Abdullahi, noted that the constituency, Mambilla Plateau, which the Royal Majesty presides over, is a primary stakeholder of the Border Communities Development Agency, as it is one of the key Border Communities in Taraba State.

The Executive Secretary mentioned that he visited the Mambilla Plateau, which is primarily bordered by the Republic of Cameroun and is aware of the challenges been faced by the community. He assured His Royal Majesty of the Agency’s commitment to improve the socio economic condition of the people of the Mambilla Plateau through sustainable developmental projects.

He stated that the outcome of his previous visit to the Mambilla plateau was communicated to the Federal Government of Nigeria and as such, the Ministry of Works and Housing has been directed to do a survey for construction of a high way from Nguroje to kan-Iyaka. He also mentioned that projects for Mambilla Plateau are included in the 2021 capital budget of the Agency.

His Royal Majesty expressed his gratitude to the Executive Secretary and the BCDA Management team for taking time to visit the Mambilla Plateau and identifying with the people. He appealed for more attention and anticipated that the relationship will continue to yield positive result for the people of the Mambilla Plateau.

The Executive Secretary solicited the cooperation and collaboration of His Royal Majesty and the entire community of the Mambilla Plateau for more sustainable developmental projects.

The Executive Director Savannah Center for Diplomacy Democracy and Development (SCDDD), His Excellency, Ambassador Sani Saulawa and members of his management team paid a courtesy visit to the Executive Secretary BCDA, Captain Junaid Abdullahi at the Agency’s Corporate Head Office in Abuja on Thursday, 15^th October, 2020. The visit was to seek a good working relationship with the Agency through collaboration in identifying the challenges and development strategies for Border Communities on the International Border lines of the Country that needs Government intervention.

The Executive Director SCDDD, further stated that the SCDDD is a Research, Training and Development Center and a Non-Governmental Organization committed to conflict prevention, management, democracy and sustainable development. 

The Executive Secretary BCDA, in his response, appreciated the Executive Director, SCDDD, for identifying with BCDA. He stated that the Agency is saddled with the responsibility of developing the Nation’s Border Communities by providing Social and Infrastructural Amenities through the Implementation of Planned and Sustainable Projects. The Executive Secretary BCDA, reassured the Executive Director, SCDDD that the Agency is ready for a beneficial collaboration.

  

The Director General Cross River State Border Communities Development Commission (BORDERCOM), Mr. Noel Ugbong and his management members, paid a courtesy visit on the Executive Secretary Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA), Captain Junaid Abdullahi at the Agency’s Corporate Head Office in Abuja to thank the Agency for the numerous projects executed in various Border Communities of Cross River State and handed over by the Agency to the Cross River State Government. The visit was to also seek for more collaboration with BCDA in the area of infrastructural development.

While speaking during the visit, Mr. Noel Ugbong thanked the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari and the Agency for the projects executed in the state, and expressed the need for BORDERCOM to be carried along right from the needs assessment, site identification, land acquisition and all other processes to be adopted by BCDA in the execution of future projects in Cross River State. This he said, is to forestall any bottlenecks that may arise from the benefitting communities as BORDERCOM is in a better position to educate and sensitize Border Communities in the state on behalf of BCDA.

The Executive Secretary in his response, appreciated the DG for identifying BCDA as a partner Agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria for the upliftment of the lives and livelihood of people living in Border Communities of Cross River State. Captain Junaid Abdullahi also reassured the DG BORDERCOM that the Agency will continue to do more in Cross River State.