Senate Advances Bill to End Decades of Neglect in Nigeria’s Coastal Border Communities as Agadaga’s Bill Scales Second Reading

By Onwe Wisdom, Pan Afric Reporter

The Senate has taken a significant step toward expanding development opportunities for Nigeria’s neglected coastal and border communities as it passed for second reading a bill seeking to amend the Border Communities Development Agency Act, 2006.

The proposed legislation, sponsored by Senator Benson Sunday Agadaga, aims to broaden the scope of communities recognized under the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA) framework while correcting long-standing administrative discrepancies affecting settlements along the Bayelsa-Rivers State boundary.

Speaking after the bill scaled second reading, Agadaga described the amendment as a crucial intervention designed to address years of exclusion and ensure that deserving coastal communities benefit from federal development programmes.

“This is a bill that is very dear to me because it concerns communities that have been overlooked for too long. I thank God that it has finally seen the light of day,” the senator said.

According to him, the legislation has been under legislative consideration since last year and represents a major effort to bring federal attention to communities that have remained outside the ambit of government interventions despite their strategic importance to the nation.

The lawmaker argued that border communities serve as Nigeria’s first points of contact for visitors entering the country through land and maritime routes and should therefore receive adequate infrastructure and social services.

“When people come into Nigeria from neighboring countries or through our coastal routes, the first Nigerians they encounter are those living in border communities. These communities represent the image of our country and should not be left without basic infrastructure and social amenities,” he stated.

Agadaga noted that although more than 3,000 communities are currently recognized under the BCDA framework, several coastal settlements, particularly in Bayelsa State, remain excluded from development programmes and federal interventions.

He specifically identified communities in Brass, Nembe and Southern Ijaw Local Government Areas as strategic coastal settlements whose economic and maritime significance warrants greater government attention.

“Bayelsa State has one of the longest coastlines in Nigeria. We are at the heart of the country’s oil and gas production. The economy of the nation depends significantly on resources produced from our region. It is only fair that our communities benefit from the same federal interventions available to other border communities across the country,” he said.

The senator also disclosed that the amendment seeks to rectify administrative anomalies involving some communities currently listed under Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State but geographically located within Rivers State.

According to him, correcting such discrepancies would ensure that genuine border communities within Bayelsa are properly captured and receive their rightful share of development resources.

While acknowledging that improved infrastructure could contribute to peace and security, Agadaga emphasized that the primary objective of the bill is economic and social development.

“This bill is not fundamentally about insecurity. It is about attracting federal government attention to neglected communities. If people have access to potable water, electricity, schools, healthcare and economic opportunities, they become more productive and contribute meaningfully to national development,” he said.

He argued that poverty, unemployment and poor infrastructure often create conditions that fuel criminal activities, adding that sustained development remains one of the most effective tools for promoting stability.

“When communities are developed and people can provide for their families, the temptation to engage in kidnapping or other criminal activities is greatly reduced. Development itself becomes a tool for promoting security,” he added.

Agadaga expressed optimism that the bill would secure legislative approval and eventually receive presidential assent, paving the way for broader inclusion of coastal and border communities in federal development programmes.

He urged lawmakers across party lines to support the legislation, describing it as a measure rooted in fairness, inclusion and equitable national development.

“This amendment is about fairness, inclusion and national development. It is about ensuring that no deserving border community is left behind,” the senator stated.

If passed into law, the amendment is expected to strengthen the mandate of the Border Communities Development Agency and extend federal development interventions to several previously excluded coastal settlements, particularly in Nigeria’s oil-producing and maritime regions.