Segun Awofadeji in Gombe
The Gombe State Government is poised to unlock the full potential of the Wawa-Zange Grazing Reserve towards enhancing food security, economic prosperity, and livestock productivity in the state.
The Gombe State Coordinator of the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) Project, Professor Umar Bello Abubakar, gave this indication while receiving a delegation from Wawa-Zange Community during a courtesy call in his office, weekend.
Recognizing the long neglect of animal production in Gombe State, Professor Abubakar highlighted Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s commitment to upscaling productivity and ensuring food security while maximizing the benefits of the reserve, which is one of the largest in Nigeria.
The Project Coordinator explained that the government is determined to address the perennial water scarcity bedeviling the grazing reserve which thwarted and stunted the development of livestock production in the area.
“Water security is a crucial focus of our project. Plans are underway to draw water from the Kupto River and tap into underground water resources. Geological surveys confirm the viability of these options, and industrial boreholes will soon be constructed. This improved water access will benefit animals, surrounding communities, and irrigation projects. This will also encourage herders who migrated due to water scarcity to return, further boosting the state’s economy”, he explained.
Prof. Abubakar also revealed that plans are underway for the installation of solar-powered electricity, establishment of milk processing centre, market, motel, among other facilities in the reserve.
“In addition to making the reserve an effective livestock production center, we plan to turn it into a resort and a tourist attraction site that will pull tourist from within and outside the country”, he noted.
Professor Abubakar emphasized the importance of embracing modern livestock production methods and urged the community to support the L-PRES project and other government policies and programmes for more productivity and economic prosperity.
He urged the community leaders to foster peace and collaborate with the government to maintain the tranquility enjoyed in the state, encouraging them to report any suspicious activity that could disrupt peace and progress.
Earlier speaking, Malam Adamu Hassan (Sarkin Fulanin Wawa-Zange), on behalf of the Wawa-Zange Community, extolled the L-PRES project for their unrelenting efforts towards improving livestock production and overall economic prosperity.
He appreciated the government for building clinics for both people and livestock, a milk collation center, and areas for growing special varieties of animals’ pastures which he said will go long way in improving livestock productivity and overall economic well-being of the people.
His words: “We are here to thank the government for the projects completed and those underway in the Wawa-Zange Grazing Reserve undertaken through the L-PRES, especially the recent dredging and de-silting of our dams, which ensure a reliable water supply for both humans and animals, benefiting the entire community around the reserve and reviving the ecosystem.
“We have been longing to see this project in our communities since before the creation of Gombe State, but our past efforts were unsuccessful. The last time our dams were renovated and de-silted was during the time of the defunct Bauchi State. We are grateful that the Inuwa-led government, through the L-PRES project, has come to our rescue.”
