Several Nigerians who were ejected from the ceded Bakassi Peninsula in Cross Rivers State but currently scattered in parts of the state have decried government’s negligence and poor attendance to their conditions.
One of them who spoke to Business Hilights said “Government has failed in its promises to resettle us since we were asked to leave the peninsula. But due to lack of jobs and government’s assistance, my husband went to fish in the troubled site and was shot dead by Cameroonian forces stationed in the Peninsula and Nigerian government did not do anything up till now.
However, the Federal Government on Saturday in Calabar, Cross River State donated 10 fishing boats with outboard engines and nets to the Internally Displaced Persons of Bakassi.
The donation was made by the Border Communities Development Agency.
Numoipire Wills, the Executive Secretary of BCDA, said the gesture was part of government-assisted poverty alleviation programme in border communities across the country.
Wills said: “We have come here to present 10 boats with outboard engines each, as well as nets as part of our youth empowerment programme.
“In the Bakassi area, we are building security posts, markets, health facilities, schools. We are singling out Bakasi, because it is one of the areas where we have returnees like we have in Kebbi state.
“There are other government assisted programmes laid out for farming activities by government