Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi
The Bauchi State Government yesterday said that it would reestablish an administrative framework for grazing reserves and cattle routes to ensure effective land management in the state and a reduction in communal clashes.
The state governor, Senator Bala Mohammed disclosed the plan yesterday while receiving the report of the administrative committee of inquiry set up to address conflict between farmers and herdsmen in the Misau Local Government Area of the state.
Mohammed said the state government would also reposition the state’s master plan as part of a strategy for tackling land disputes.
He declared that his administration would not accept illegal allocation of lands and grazing reserves to individuals without following due process.
He said already, the state government had constituted a committee to work out modalities of addressing illegal allocations of lands across the 20 local government areas of the state.
He said: “We are grateful to God for this moment. What we are doing under this administration is to make sure we correct the abuses in land allocation and other anomalies in governance for the benefit of our people.
“I am happy with the recommendations you just gave me. I want to use this medium to assure you that we don’t have any negative plans against anybody, what we are doing is to protect the rights of the common man.
“We cannot allow this to continue in Bauchi, because of the selfish interest of our elite who mostly acquired lands illegally.”
Mohammed said with the recommendations of the committee, the state government would soon come up with a white paper on the position of government.
He reiterated his government’s determination to protect the rights of the entire citizens of the state, especially the most vulnerable groups.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Committee, Air Commodore Tijjani Gamawa had said the committee in the discharge of its responsibilities, discovered a lot of irregularities occasioned by illegal allocation of lands.
The chairman said the committee had visited all the affected lands and grazing reserves for investigation with a view to coming up with a lasting solution to the lingering problems.
“We are happy to submit to you our report. Immediately after our inauguration, the committee proceeded to Misau till the completion of the assignment.
“In carrying out the assignment, we received 21 memoranda from individuals and 27 witnesses who appeared before the committee for their inputs and testimonies that are related to our assignment.”
