Addressing ecological challenges in Gombe State
Addressing ecological challenges in Gombe State
News analysis by Rabiu Sani-Ali, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
Malam Iliya Gambo, 47, grows tomato and other perishable produce at his farm on the outskirt of Gombe, the Gombe State capital.
Vegetable cultivation is lucrative business and source of pride for the people of Gambo. They make lots of money from the sales of the produce and see it as one of their major gifts to the nation.
Gambo, a father of four, was a happy and a proud house owner built from the proceeds from perishables until his fortunes took a hit from a natural disaster.
Like other residents of Gombe and parts of the state, Gambo is exposed to devastating erosion and desertification largely caused by deforestation and climate change.
His one hectre farm had been ravaged and part of his home destroyed by mud slide due to massive gully erosion which swept swath of residential quarters and arable lands in the area.
For many years, lives have been lost, farmlands, houses and other properties destroyed by the erosion, a situation that poses serious threats to the social and economic wellbeing of the inhabitants.
Some of the affected areas are: Bogo, Kwami, Pindiga, Gombe town hit mostly by erosion challenge.
However, Succour came to the affected communities through adoption of practical ecological interventions initiated by Gombe State Government, according to another farmer, Auwal Aminu.
He said that viable ecological projects being executed by the government have largely controlled erosion, desertification and reclaimed lost lands.
Another resident of Gombe metropolis, Joel Dauda said construction of culverts had eased transportation difficulties in the area.
“In the past, we could not cross the gully when it rained, it was really difficult to go to the other side of the town.
“Children in the affected areas could not go to school or go on errand. We had to wait till the flow water in the gully subsided.
“The gully swallowed many hectres of farmlands, destroyed house and other public structures,” he said.
Similarly; Malam Abdullahi Hassan, a farmer from Doho community in Kwami Local Government Area commended the state government’s erosion control efforts.
He, however, expressed concern over the spate of sand excavation without recourse to devastating of effects flooding and erosion on environment.
“People are recklessly digging up sand thereby creating unnecessary borrow pit without anyone stopping them,” he said, and called for measures to check the trend
He urged the government to regulate the indiscriminate soil digging and sand excavation which is capable of impeding the success of 3G, the acronym for the state government’s ecological intervention, Gombe Goes Green.
The initiative was introduced to on Aug. 28, 2019 by Gov. Inuwa Yahaya to address the challenge of global climate change and environmental degradation.
The four-year programme seeks to address ecological problems, encourage aggressive afforestation, reforestation and plant four million tree seedlings across the state.
The programme which is being implemented in collaboration between the state government and the Nigeria Erosion, Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP), successfully executed viable projects to achieve its obejectives.
According to official fact sheet, the 3G project seeks to combat land degradation such as desertification, erosion, loss of soil nutrients and rehabilitate degraded lands.
It also aimed at mitigating negative effects of climate change in the communities, restore biodiversity by growing indigenous tree species that are facing extinction and providing critical habitat for wildlife regeneration.
Others are promotion of sustainable development, improve livelihoods and enhance economic sustainability as well as add beauty to public places, reduce air pollution levels in urban and rural areas.
The programme successfully planted three million tree seedlings, set up woodlots, shelter belts, and orchards, plant nurseries, engaged over 27,000 volunteers for environmental sanitation and watering of the planted trees across the state.
One key achievement of the 3G project is the sustained community sensitisation to create awareness on dangers of climate change and promote environmental friendly habit in the state.
On erosion, some 7.5 kilometres of gully control and desilt project had been completed at the Gombe State University through NEWMAP.
Other projects include East of Gombe International Hotel, Behind Gombe State House of Assembly, Wuro Bajoga – Bogo, East of Kumo General Hospital – Jauro Tukur.
The state with support of NEWMAP established manual and digital weather monitoring stations at Government Science Secondary School, Kaltungo.
It also installed Hydro Mets and Metrological equipment (Automatic weather station), in Nafada Local Government Area Secretariat.
Similarly, the Gombe State Environmental Protection Agency (GOSEPA) conducted inspection at regulated and non-regulated premises to enhance compliance with environmental health and safety laws including houses, clinics, schools, markets, abattoirs, motor parks, industries.
The agency also evacuated 2.5 million metric tones of solid waste and 10.3 million liquid waste, fumigated public places and residential areas.
It also rained 305 environmental health professionals and 105 students, established 185 waste collection centres in addition to 105 existing ones in Gombe metropolis.
An environmentalist, Mr Ismail Bima said the 3G project has assisted in addressing ecological problems in the state.
He said the topography of the state made it prone to flooding and erosion, adding it remained the biggest ecological challenge in the state.
“Some of the trees under the 3G project had grown and providing sheds to the soil.
“During rainfall the trees especially the woodlot and other newly forested areas have provided shield for the soil from the impact of rain drops during the wet season,” he said.
Ismail, who is also the Chief Executive Officer, Jewel Environmental Initiative (JEI), a Non-Governmental Organisation, said the tree planting complemented effort of the World Bank-assisted project towards addressing ecological challenges.
“Planting of these trees has protected the gullies and those areas prone to erosion. It gives hope to the residents of the state.
“I can tell you that this planting of trees has drastically reduced incidence of flooding and erosion and with the sustainability of the project, more successes will be achieved,” he said.
According to him, the sensitisation also helped in creating awareness amongst the citizens on the reality of the ecological challenges.
`This awareness is important as it has helped citizens to also be conscious of how they contribute to erosion and flooding.
“The fight against erosion, flooding and other environmental disasters can only succeed with collective effort and the 3G is also creating that consciousness,” he said.
He sought the sustenance of the 3G project and its replication in other parts of the country to achieve green environment and reap from its benefits. (NAN) ( www.nannews.ng)
**If used please credit the writer and News Agency of Nigeria.