By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi
Bauchi State Government has been called upon to as a matter of urgency reclaim all the cattle routes and grazing reserves in the State as a way of averting herders/farmers crisis particularly as the wet season is setting in.
The call was made by the Mmeber representing Giade Constituency in the House of Assembly, Dan’umma Bello while moving a motion to that effect during the sitting of the House on Thursday.
Leading debate on the motion, Dan’umma Bello explained that there are many cattle routes created across the State but politicians and traditional rulers have encroached into the areas thereby living both the herders and the farmers to scramble for the limited space left for farming and rearing.
He said that, “Recently His Excellency, the State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammad constituted a Special Committee to look into the remote and immediate causes of an uprising that engulfed Zadawa Town in Misau LGA” .
According to him, “the findings, a grazing area which existed for several years is now being cultivated as farmland which led to the fracas and subsequent destruction of lives and property of innocent victims” .
Dan’umma Bello therefore prayed that the House should ask the state Government to immediately implement the findings of the Committee in order to avert the reoccurrence of another episode.
He also prayed that the Government should penalize all those involved in encroaching or selling of grazing reserves to serve as deterrence to others and issue a circular revoking all farmlands and structures erected and reconvert the areas to grazing field.
The member also prayed that the Government should construct earth dams in all hitherto existing herdsmen settlements so as to enjoy unfettered access to pasture and water point which he said will accommodate Fulani herdsmen moving from South to North.
Dan’umma Bello also suggested that at least 10,000 hecters of the reclaimed land should be allocated to each local government in the State to accommodate the returning Fulani herdsmen from the Southern part of the country.
While Contributing to the debate, Tijjani Muhammad Aliyu representing Azare Madangala Constituency observed that the motion has been taken over by events.
He explained that After the Zadawa crisis, the Government was proactive to face the problem head-on in which it constituted a committee and recommendations were given in which the government set up a white paper committee.
He suggested that the House should rather advise the government to implement the report and the white paper committee should submit its report and the Government should ensure immediate implementation.
On his part, Baballle Abubakar Dambam representing Dambam/Dagauda/Jalam Constituency opined that considering the importance of the motion, it should be referred to the Forestry and Environment Committee so as to discuss more with the relevant agencies and committees.
He also suggested that there should be a law on grazing reserves in Bauchi State therefore there is the need for the motion to be referred to the relevant committee so as to come up with recommendations for a better approach.
The House therefore referred the motion to the House Committee on Forestry and Environment and mandated it to liaise with the mover of the motion to work on the matter.
