Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON has received the reports of the committee on Grazing, Forest, Games Reserves and Cattle Routes; and that of the Review of Gombe Master Plan.
The two reports were presented to the Governor at a brief event at the New Banquet Hall of the Government House, Gombe.
Receiving the report on on Grazing, Forest, Games Reserves and Cattle Routes, Governor Inuwa Yahaya said his administration will continue to implement policies and programmes that will address the farmer-herder conflict in the state, maintaining that sanctions will be applied on any individuals or institutions found in illegal encroachment of grazing reserves and cattle routes.
“I understand that the challenges facing us are enormous. But on the issue of farmer-herder conflict, we would not relent in providing a lasting solution. We would continue to implement policy reforms and programmes that would ensure all grazing reserves are left to the herders and all encroached cattle routes are recovered. We would equally ensure that farmers are provided enormous land for their activities”, the Governor said.
“I am aware that some individuals including those in the position of authorities are fully engaged in the activities of illegal encroachment of cattle routes and grazing reserves. Let me emphasize that we will never tolerate any act of indiscipline in this administration. Whoever that is found into this illegal activity will be sanctioned”, the Governor added.
Remarking after the presentation of the report on the Review of Gombe Master Plan, the Governor maintained that the purpose of setting up the committee was due to the poor implementation of the 2001 Master Plan and growing population that require proper planning to meet the present needs of the city and population projection in the future.
“It has become very necessary for us to review the Gombe Master Plan due to the lapses in the implementation of the 2001 Master Plan. Our population is growing, and by projection, by 2033– that is in less than ten years to come, the population of this city will increase by about 500 thousand people. Therefore, we must have a proper planning to meet the current infrastructure needs of the city and equally meet the needs of the future based on the population projection”, he said.
Governor Inuwa commended the committees for a job well done, assuring them that he will study the reports and implement the recommendations appropriately in the best interests of Gombe and its development.
Speaking during his presentation, the Chairman of the Committee on Grazing, Forest, Game Reserves and Cattle Routes, Retired AIG Zubairu Mu’azu who is also the Special Adviser on Security Matters, explained that his committee was able to trace encroached cattle routes, grazing and games reserves, saying 21 recommendationswere submitted for the Governor’s consideration.
In his presentation, the Chairman of the Committee on the Review of Gombe Master Plan, Prof. James Kaltho, explained that the revised master plan will cover the period of ten years– 2023 to 2033 and that it will meet the projected population of over 500 thousand people in the city in the next ten years.
The event was attended by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Manassah Daniel Jatau, Speaker of Gombe State House of Assembly, Chief Judge, SSG, Head of Service, Commissioners, Traditional rulers, heads of security agencies among other
