THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY DR. GEORGE-KELLY D. ALABO (FNIQS) PAYS COURTESY VISIT TO THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, HIS EXCELLENCY AMBASSADOR YUSUF MAITAMA TUGGAR (OON).16/04/2024

Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA) seeks to collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other critical stakeholders to reposition the Agency and also to raise the living standard of people living along border communities in Nigeria.
The Executive Secretary BCDA Dr. George-Kelly D. Alabo (FNIQS) in his address during the courtesy visit to the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar (OON), said the purpose of his visit is to engage and synergize with the Ministry as a critical stakeholder and member of the Governing Board of the BCDA on areas that will help to improve the living conditions and socio-economic wellbeing of the people in the border communities.
Dr. George-Kelly D. Alabo FNIQS went further to inform the Honourable Minister that BCDA has a Medium-Term Expenditure Framework from 2024-2027 and there’s the need to think outside the box to access funding both internally and externally to execute developmental projects to bridge the Agency’s poor funding and sole reliance on federal government to meet up the various sectoral needs of the border communities ranging from; Healthcare, Education, Security Agriculture, Empowerment etc. for over 3000 communities in 105 local governments in 21 states of the Federation.
He also said the Agency is faced with an enormous task to impact on the various border communities across the country and this will be achieved and addressed in phases from one geo-political zone to the other. Dr. Alabo and Ambassador Tuggar agreed for the formation of Tink-tank from both organizations to get great value from the expected collaborations.
The Executive Secretary BCDA also stated that the border communities are the gateway and the first line of interface with other countries as they reflect the image of Federal Republic of Nigeria and it is necessary that basic amenities should be provided for the people living in these communities in order to get their loyalty and allegiance. And inline with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR), BCDA is ready to collaborate with the Ministry to ameliorate the people living in the border communities.
In his response, the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Yusuf Maitama Tuggar (OON) while welcoming the Executive Secretary and his Team at the Tafawa Balewa House said Border Communities Development Agency is an integral part of the Ministry’s programme and the Federal Government’s. The Honourable Minister said the ‘4D Policy’ of the Federal Government (Democracy, Development, Demography and Diaspora) will be compatible with BCDA’s Medium Term Expenditure Framework Plan. He went further to say the border areas have weaker presence of government and hence the persistent crime rate and the Executive Secretary’s plan to reposition the Agency should be more of a long-term effective plan that will benefit and impact on the people living in the border communities. His Excellency, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar (OON) also stated that BCDA partnering with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stands to benefit from external funding for the execution of its numerous developmental projects across the border communities in Nigeria as the ministry interfaces with a lot of foreign donors like the European Union and other foreign countries.
In conclusion, the Honorable Minister said BCDA should be playing a micro diplomacy role along the border communities.