The Director-General of Gombe Geographic Information Systems, Dr. Kabiru Usman, has disclosed that the state government has expanded cities’ radius from 15km to 20 km and local government radius from 10km to 15km, to redevelop and transform the state into a modern and organised business hub.
Usman made the disclosure during a chat with newsmen saying, ”If you look at the surrounding area of the state, the outskirt of the state, it’s surrounded by haphazard development, scattered settlement, and ghetto settlement slums. If you look at the total landmass of the metropolitan area which was covered with the layout, it’s about 50 33.”
” So his Excellency has extended the urban area to 20km radius of the emir’s palace. Likewise, in the local government areas, from the emir’s palace to outskirts of the state – North, West, South and East, it is 15km radius,” he disclosed.
Usman noted that henceforth, anyone who wants to develop within the extended area must come to the city, not local government secretariat.
He said: ”If anyone wants to develop, he must come to Gombe State UrbanDevelopment Authority, not local government authority, because we have extended the radius. We did that to reduce the number of slums in the city because people are subdividing their farmlands without coming to the planning authority.”
He listed the ghetto areas in the metropolis to include – Wuro Lima, Wuro Shie, Bomala, Burundi, Ahnadu Kefi, Riyal, Bagadaza, London Maidoruwa, Zagina, Arawa, Kagarawai and the likes.
RUWASSA donates sanitary items to combat open defecation in Oyo State
The Oyo State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA) has donated snitary items, motorcycles and speakers to 10 local government areas in the state to intensify war against open defecation.
The donation was part of activities to mark 100 days in office of the agency chairman, Babalola Afobaje, who said the donation of the items was aimed at ensuring complete end to open defecation not only in the council areas that the items were given but the whole of Oyo State.
The items donated includes 100 Ahuja speakers, six motorcycles (two each for Egbeda, Ona-Ara and Ibarapa East Local Government Areas), and sanitation items to be distributed based on selection criteria in 10 council areas of the state.
Afobaje seized the opportunity to highlight his achievements in office in the past 100 days noting that the agency has enjoyed tremendous support from UNICEF in its efforts to end open defecation in Egbeda,Ona-Ara and Ibarapa East Local Government Areas.
Nasarawa farmers embraces hydroponic method of farming to boost production
Farmers in Nasarawa State, North Central Nigeria, have been encouraged to adopt urban farming and hydroponic techniques to enhance vegetable production for domestic and commercial purpose.
The Monitoring and Evaluation Manager of the Women Environmental Programme (WEP), Damaris Uja, encouraged the farmers particularly women, youths, and persons with disabilities (PWD’s), during a training session that started on Tuesday in Lafia, the state capital.
Miss. Ujah emphasized that the initiative is aimed at helping small-scale farmers, especially vulnerable groups, to tackle the challenges of climate change. She said hydroponic farming offers an effective way to grow nutritious crops, such as tomatoes and peppers, without the need of a large expanse of land.
Ujah called on the state government to invest in training extension workers on hydroponic farming techniques, highlighting that such efforts will significantly boosy food production in the state.
The Head of Produce and Crop Protection at the Nasarawa State Ministry of Agriculture, Sadanu Muhammed, commended WEP and Christian Aid, the sponsor of the training session, for their efforts and affirmed that the ministry is ready to collaborate with stakeholders to promote the adoption of hydroponic farming across the state.
Ogun govt empower women farmers with 480 chickens to boost food production
Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security in Ogun State, Bolu Owotomo, had disclosed that more than 160 women farmers from eight local government areas in the state have been empowered with 480 live chickens and 2,160 garden seedlings, to boost food production.
Owotomo stated this during the flag-off of the distribution of the chickens and garden seedlings at OGADEP premises, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, the state capital. The Commissioner said the initiative aimed at improving the livelihood of women farmers and encourge the wellbeing of the people.
The Commissioner who was represented at the ocassion by the Ministry’s Press Officer, Gbenga Moronfolu, noted that empowering women in agriculture with tools and resources would not only boost household income, but also increase the availability of eggs for consumption and reduction in malnutrition.
”The initiative will increase household income, with potentials for families to produce an average of 30 eggs monthly to meet their nutritional needs, create the opportunity to sell surplus eggs, boost the overall wellbeing, as well as enable them to eat fresh, organic produce to ensure a better control of their diet with continuous access to animal protein in a sustinble manner,” Awotomo said.
In his remark, the Acting Project Coordinator (VCDP), Temitope Ajisafe, stressed that empowering women in the state, especially in the area of nutrition of every household would boost productivity and healthy living among fmilies.
Jigawa govt hands over Hadejia Wetland Game Reserve to National Park Service
Jigawa State Government under the leadership of Governor Umar Namadi, has handed over the management of Hadejia Wetlands Game Reserve to the National Park Service (NPS).
The official transfer of the game reserve which took place at the Government House in Dutse, marked the state government efforts for over a decade to upgrade the wetland into a nationl park.
During the handing over ceremony, Governor Umar Namadi expressed satisfaction saying it reflect a broader commitment to environmental conservation and biodiversity protection in the country.
The governor lauded the wetland’s natural beauty, its undisturbed Sahelian landscape, and the vital ecological balance it maintains. He reiterarated the state’s commitment to supporting the NPS in ensuring the long-term sustainability of the park, while advocating for the active involvement of local communities in its management.
The Conservator-General of the Federation, Dr. Ibrahim Goni, accepted the hand over on behalf of the Federal Government. He commended the state government and praised Governor Namadi for his friendship in completing the process, which began in 2011.