PREMIUM TIMES TO PARTNER NIGERIAN BORDER COMMUNITIES DEVELOPMENT AGENCY
The agency scribe further explained that, the collaboration would pave way for the establishment ”to tell its own story and enlighten the public”, adding that, in the same vein, the collaboration was in line with the agency’s plan for its coming 2019 capital projects.
Penpushing further reports that, Abdullahi stated that, the collaboration will also ensure that the capital projects are well-executed, noting that some of its “previous projects in the past are not properly executed making the agency lose money to contractors”.
The Nigerian Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA) Executive Secretary added that the partnership would ensure that the work of the agency in the border communities ”does not go unnoticed in the public domain”.
”We are here to pay you a courtesy visit to Premium Times and this is to appreciate and commend you because, presently, you carry the flagship of online media. I am a good follower of your online publication,”Abdullahi said.
”We are just about to embark on our 2019 capital projects and a lot would have some zonal intervention projects. Previously, there have been a lot of concerns about how these projects are executed, not very well supervised and there is a tendency for people not to execute the contract and go away with the money’.
”What we are trying to do as a government agency is to strengthen our monitoring evaluation process because we want to show that there is value for money being expended. And nobody tells our own story where we contribute to this country, so it is not entirely the fault of the media, because we also have a role to play by inviting you and showing you what we do. As a result of that we can enlighten the public,” he said.
‘Most of our work always goes unnoticed, because our work is in the border communities, who are without good roads, very remote, and unfortunately they are the most neglected in the country. These border communities are strategic because they border our international borders and they are the first point of contact for anybody coming in.”
Penpushing also reports that, Editor-in-Chief of Premium Times, Musikilu Mojeed, in his response appreciated the agency team for approaching the newspaper, explaining that the organisation’s objective includes reporting on agencies of government ”to ensure they work with transparency so there would be value for money”.
The Editor-in Chief described the gesture ”as a leadership virtue whereby government agencies and media must come together to help this country”, and also urged the agency to apply due diligence in future award of contracts.
”Even if you are going to award a contract, award it to people who are qualified. Let the processes be competitive, whoever gets it, we are all Nigerians. But ensure that the contract is done, whether they are nominated by lawmakers or by your agency, that is where we get a return on investment,” he said.
Penpushing further reports that, the Managing Editor of Premium Times, Idris Akinbajo, in his remarks observed that the partnership is needed to better enlighten the public, adding, ”If you are doing so much good work in those communities and you believe those stories are not being told, it is because people are not aware of them.”
The Managing Editor explained that, the organisation was not out to run down the agency but to keep them on their toes as far as service delivery is concerned, stating, ”I believe this kind of partnership could help tells those stories,”
‘At Premium Times, we are not just out to write negative stories. Those who are doing great work, we report them. Despite Nigerians believing nothing is working well, we show them things are working in these areas”, Akinbajo emphasized
Meanwhile, Nigerian Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA),, is a development agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria , established in 2003 with the mandate to ensure the sustainable social, economic and infrastructural development of border communities in Nigeria.
