Gully Erosion destroys over 200 houses in Bogo, BCGA
By Ben Ngwakwe, Gombe.
Gully erosion has been a major threat to socio- economic growth and development of a state while a healthy environment is critical to a safe and secure living.
Meanwhile, Gombe State Government has maintained a zero tolerance to waste disposal, enacted environmental Laws, undertook beautification of open spaces, ensure channelisation of waste water and storms drains, reclaimed degraded areas and encouraged use of renewable energy.
In 2022, the Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya budgeted the sum of Four Billion, Five Hundred and Sixty –one Million Naira (N4,561,000,000,00) for environment and Forestry sub-sector.
The Governor made it clear that the Gombe State Ten Year Development Plan (2021-2030) has spelt out strategies for addressing the challenges of environmental degradation and climate change.
To this end, the State government under the leadership of Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has established mechanism for erosion, deforestation, desertification and flood control.
One of the mechanisms is the introduction of Gombe Goes Green (3G) environmental restoration programme that is working to plant 4 million trees in 4 years, the construction of 7KM GSU covering Mallam Inna and Kagarawal gully erosion through World Bank Assisted Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP), establishment of 22,000ha of woodlots in kaltungo, Dukku, Balanga and Yamaltu/Deba LGAs and establishment of six additional nurseries in Gombe, Nafada, Funakaye, Balanga, Billiri and Shongom respectively.
Other strategies are the rehabilitation and upgraded existing nurseries at Bogo and kwadom and the provided maximum support to NEWMAP and the Ministry of Environment and Forest Resources to ensure successful execution of gully erosion control projects in the state.
Despite all these efforts by the State Government, some areas within Gombe Metropolis are still suffering from untold hardship brought about by gully erosion and environmental degradation.
The people of Bogo/ BCGA in Gombe Metropolis are gnashing of their teeth in agony because over 200 houses have been washed away and destroyed by gully erosion while millions of naira worth of property had been damaged including farmlands.
Lamenting their ordeals to Arewa Voice on Saturday, Mai-Anguwa (Ward Head) of Bogo/ BCGA, Alhaji Umar Bappah lamented that over 200 houses have been destroyed while property worth millions of naira including the farmlands of the area washed away by gully erosion.
He added that some of the affected victims died as a result of the disaster and appealed to the Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya to come to their rescue.
Alhaji Umar Bappah who had been the ward head for the past 24 years said the erosion is encroaching towards his house which is about 5 feet away and appealed to State Government to come to their assistance as they have no other places to relocate when the whole area is destroyed by flood.
He explained further that the Community have gone to the Commissioner of Works soliciting for Government’s intervention and other concerned individuals considering their plights but nothing positive yet has comes from it.
The site of the gully erosion has been a hiding place for criminal elements and those smoking different brands of hard drugs, the ward head added that they organized the youths with the knowledge of DPO Divisional Police Officer of Gona Division which patrols the areas regularly in the nights and keep surveillance to ensure the protection of the lives of the people.
He also added that the community raises some token amount of money that is given to the youths just to encourage them every month for complementing the efforts of the police.
He narrated that the roads that connected the area was constructed by the Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo led -administration and he is also calling on Governor Muhammadu Iunwa Yahaya led -Government to come to their assistance.
A widow who is also residing in the area, Madam Grace added that the gully erosion has destroyed over 200 houses and properties in the area and that they have been living in area since 1979 and the road provided by the Government have been washed away making it difficult to transact businesses and to move out during raining season and also appealed to Government provide accessible road and to control the gully erosion which she believes that the huge amount of money involved probably made the Government to abandon it.
Also, the commissioner of Police, Gombe State Command, CP. Ishola Babatunde Babaita, speaking on the issues of insecurity has re-emphasized the will, determination and commitment of all officers and men of the Command to continue to be proactive in their readiness to combat, prevent and detect crimes and criminalities in all parts of the state in line with the constitutional responsibilities of the Nigeria Police force and appealed to the members of the public to give the police useful information that will help in nipping the crimes in the bud.
In the statement signed by the ASP Mahid Mu’azu Abubakar and made available to newsmen in Gombe added that CP. Babaita reiterated the resolve and commitment of the command to continue to partner with the good people of Gombe state in guaranteeing security and safety of all indigenes and visitors alike.
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