Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has charged newly inaugurated members of boards of federal government parastatals to flee from temptations that easily beset top public officials, warning that government will deal ruthlessly with anyone found culpable.
Osinbajo reeled out the warning Tuesday at the inauguration of the boards National Boundaries Commission( NBC), National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies ( NIPSS) and those of the Border Communities Development Agency ( BCDA), at the conference hall of the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation ( SGF)
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is chairing two of the agencies namely, those of the National Boundaries Commission ( NBC) and the Border Community Development Agency ( BCDA), sent the warning in a message read in his behalf by the SGF, Boss Mustapha, who also performed the inauguration of the boards.
The National Boundaries Commission was established as an agency of the federal government to deal with the problems of intra and inter community boundary disputes as well as those between Nigeria and her proximate neighbors.
The Border Communities Development Agency on the other hand was established in the wake of the International Court of Justice (IJC) decision in adjusting Nigeria’s borders with her neighbors, culminating in the ceding of the Bakassi peninsula to Cameroon, while some communities were also ceded to Nigeria from Cameroon, especially in the north eastern part of the country.
The agency was specifically saddled with the responsibility of providing infrastructures for the newly ceded communities as well as other communities along Nigeria borders.
The border communities development agency was strategically established to also amongst other things enhance security in the communities.
Osinbajo noted that the three institutions serve as high level center of reflection on policy dialogue especially as they relate to Nigeria and her neighbors.
He noted that the agencies are strategic to government Economic Recovery and Growth Plans (ERGP) and urged the new board members to key into the strategic plans.
Osinbajo who said ” government expect robust policy initiatives from the board members, also urged them “to see their appointments as call to duties”
He warned the board members to eschew corruption and charged them to “allow the relevant agencies perform their statutory duties without undue interference”
Chairman of the board of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies ( NIPSS), Ignatius Longjam, while seeing leadership as “a divine responsibility” and assured that they will discharge their duties without fear or favour.
He prayed God to guide them with wisdom and good health to enable them discharge their responsibilities.
“What you have asked us to do, we will do, and in the best way we can”
“If this is the only thing we can do to make our country better, we will do it with all our strength. We will certainly not disappoint you. We will ensure that Nigeria comes out better”
Tony Ailemen, Abuja
