From Tony John, Port Harcourt
The Director-General of the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA), Dr Dakorinama Alabo George, has pledged to provide essential boreholes and healthcare facilities to border communities in Ogun State.
George’s commitment is a response to a report highlighting the lack of clean water and healthcare services in Asaa, Igbokofi, Agbelepon, Igbeti, Ibore, and Lafenwa.
Following the report, Dr George, who recently assumed his role, dispatched a team of engineers led by the Director/Special Adviser on Special Duties, Atarhe Akpohwaye-Abuh, to assess the situation in the affected communities.
The team met with key stakeholders, including women’s groups, community leaders, community-based organizations, and officials from Yewa Local Government, to determine the most effective way to deliver the needed facilities.
A statement released on Monday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, revealed the residents’ struggles. In Asaa, for instance, people expressed frustration at having to rely on water from a pond due to the dangers of travelling five kilometres to neighbouring Benin for clean drinking water. Others shared tragic stories of losing family members while seeking medical care.
The team acknowledged the theme of neglect prevalent across all visited border communities.
Dr George pledged immediate assistance where possible, with plans to address further needs through budgetary allocations in 2025. He emphasized that this response aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s core principle of leaving no one behind.
The residents of the impacted communities expressed their gratitude to the BCDA for its prompt action. They pledged their patriotism to the Federal Government of Nigeria and vowed to uphold the law as they embraced the benefits of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Policy.
The Border Communities Development Agency is a federal government agency established by the National Assembly to deliver socio-economic infrastructure to all border communities across Nigeria.