Vice Presiden Mohammed Namadi Sambo Wednesday inaugurated the board of the National Boundary Commission (NBC), assuring stakeholders that the Commission will remain an unbiased umpire in carrying out its statutory responsibilities.
The Vice President who is also the Chairman of the Commission stated on Wednesday in Abuja, during the inauguration ceremony that, “the NBC remains, at all times, an unbiased umpire in any boundary matter and involves all stakeholders at every stage of boundary management or disputes resolution.”
He called on all members to face the national assignment with “all the tact, diligence, patience, and balance of judgment as patriotic Nigerians,” stressing that the commission considers boundary matters highly sensitive, adding that “National interest and security as well as the need to maintain peace at all times are paramount. It therefore executes its statutory functions with all seriousness, caution, and due consideration of issues and does not work in isolation.”
Responding on behalf of the newly inaugurated members, Yunusa Adamu Dangwan expressed appreciation to President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice President Sambo for the appointment, assuring that they would to everything to ensure that the Commission succeeds in meeting its mandate.
The NBC was established in 1989 to address the myriads of internal and international boundary problems facing the country. In 2006 the National Assembly repealed the enabling Decree No. 38 of 1987, replacing it with the National Boundary Commission (Establishment) Act of 2006.
The Commission has as its Chairman the Vice President of the Federation with the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Ministers of Defence, Police Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Internal Affairs, Works, Co-operation and Integration in Africa, National Planning Commission, and Petroleum Resources as members. Other members are the National Security Adviser, the Inspector-General of Police as well as the Director-General, of the Commission.
The Commission also has Part Time Members, who represent the six geo-political zones, they Yunusa Adamu Dangwan, representing North-West; Mamman Ibrahim Hassan Lau, representing North-East; Abe Joseph Aku, representing North-Central; Adebowale Atanda Niyi Salako, representing South-West; Ndidi Okereke, representing South-East; while Anselemlgo-Goin, is representing the South-South.
