Gombe inaugurates committee to assess cattle routes, grazing reserves
Story from Haruna ABDULRASHID
Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, has set up a committee to assess cattle routes, and grazing reserves in the state.
In a statement signed by the Governor’s Director-General of Press Affairs, Isma’ila Uba Misilli, Governor Yahaya said his administration will leave no stone unturned to ensure all encroached cattle routes; grazing, game and forest reserves in the state are reclaimed.
He made this known while inaugurating the committee in that regard at the Government House.
Governor Inuwa who attributed the current security challenges and recurrent farmer/herder clashes to years-long negligence, noted that for a lasting peace in Nigeria, strict measures must be put in place to revive the hitherto cattle routes, grazing and forest reserves in the country.
He said the trend posed great dangers to citizens’ means of livelihood and the environment.
“The encroachment upon these lands has posed serious threats to their existence, threatening ecological balance and the livelihoods of farmers and herders”.
The governor said to proffer a lasting solution, the root causes of the problems must be addressed.
“In northern Nigeria today, deforestation and encroaching desertification are driving nomadic communities inwards, thus bringing them into conflict with farming communities, and jeopardizing centuries of inter-communal harmony and stability.
To address those security challenges, we must first address their root causes which is environmental degradation that is fuelled by climate change and lack of compliance with extant rules and regulations across all divides”.
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The governor said his administration would do everything within its powers to revoke any illegal allocation made on cattle routes, grazing or forest reserves to foster environmental sanity.
“This committee is necessary in order to reverse the ugly trend, restore our ecological balance, and promote environmental and livelihoods sustainability,” he said.
In his vote of thanks, the Chairman of the committee, AIG Zubairu Muazu ( Rtd), who is also the Ubandoma of Gombe appreciated the governor for the opportunity and assured that they will work around the clock to deliver on the mandate.
AIG Muazu added that the committee will never fail the governor and the people of the state.
The committee comprises security experts, environmentalists, livestock development specialists, agriculturalists, professional surveyors, community leaders, representatives of socio-cultural groups, and representatives of security agencies among others.
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