The House of Representatives Committee on Ecological Fund on Tuesday emphasised the need to ensure the judicious application of resources set aside to tackle gully erosion.
Disclosing this in Gombe State during an oversight visit conducted by members,
Chairman on Ecological Fund; Aminu Jaji, expressed optimism that when the resources are properly utilised it would solve myriads of environment related issues.
He said, “We have seen the challenges and the business coming to you is by far inadequate but the result is overwhelming. We want to assure you that this visit is going to be different from other traditional visits by members of the National Assembly for such assessments.
“This visit will be put into reality in order to channel the funds that we have before us to be utilised judiciously applicably and religiously to the desired needs of the common man.”
Jaji while lauding the state for its efforts in combating gully erosion noted that lessons learned would be applied on it projects, “We have seen it and during our tour in the last place we visited we saw a completed project the project will serve as a prototype to some of the projects that we are going to undertake under the ecological fund. We will use it in other projects that we wish to undertake. However, we look at the ecological challenges affecting most of the states, you are doing your best in terms of afforestation we want to make sure that we do more,” he added.
On his part, Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, who commended the committee for the choice of the state for oversight disclosed that the Gombe has been battling the challenges of erosion.
“We have 214 active gullies in Gombe, seven in Gombe LGA and many more across the 11 LGAs. Desert is encroaching by the day. We are looking forward to working with any agency of government because there is a disconnect between implementing agencies,” he said.
Yahaya assured the members of the committee of the state’s willingness to work with government agencies in erosion control, “Gombe is ready to work with federal agencies, Gombe people are happy with your visit,” the governor added.
