In an effort to stem the rising challenges of insecurity and ensure economic cooperation and integration of the African Continent, the National Boundary Commission (NBC) in conjunction with the Borno State Boundary Committee has put together a one-day Program for the creation of platform for Local Border Authorities in the North-East Border States of Nigeria.
The workshop, themed: “Transforming Borders from barriers of separation to bridges of co-operation and integration,” is predicated on the need by the Federal Government to proactively harness the abundance of the human resources available in the country towards attaining peaceful coexistence between Nigeria and her proximate neighbours as well as to facilitate Cross-Border Cooperation and Regional Integration.
In his welcome address, the Director General of the National Boundary Commission Surv. Adamu Adaji who was represented by the Acting Director, International Boundaries Department Hauwa Abdul-Ismail charged participants to be purveyors of peace in their respective domain stressing that promoting peaceful coexistence should be everybody’s concern.
“During the 4th Conference of African Ministers responsible for Border management which held in October 2016 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, it was unanimously agreed that Africa’s peace and security are directly intertwined with good border governance and the attainment of sustainable developments in the borderlands.
“Border State Governments and Border Local Governments that are far from national capitals have a critical role to play because of their proximity to the borders and borderlands”.
In a press statement by the Efe Ovuakporie, the Head Information Unit of NBC, the Director General noted that the strategy will assist in the cross border development initiatives that would aid in proffering on- the-spot solution to some of the security challenges plaguing the nation as well as strengthen opportunities for cross border economic development.
He disclosed that this platform will be replicated across all frontiers of Nigeria maintaining that it could serve as a veritable platform for translating the decisions of the Border Governors Forum into concrete actions and also serve as a vehicle for regular engagement of our local authorities and Traditional institutions and the proximate countries.
In his remarks, the Deputy Governor of Borno State and Chairman of the State Boundary Committee, Honourable Umar Usman Kadafur represented by the Honourable Commissioner of Inter-Governmantal Affairs/ Deputy Chairman Borno State Boundary Committee, Pogu Lawan, noted that the creation of the platform is an indication by the Federal Government to sustain the synergy among critical stakeholders through regular engagements with a view to strengthening the long lasting relationship that started since the colonial era.
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