The Gombe State government has signed a N12 billion contract with Triacta Nigeria Limited for 21-kilometer gully erosion control works in six communities within Gombe metropolis.
The contract signing ceremony, which took place in Gombe on Wednesday between the state government and Triacta, was witnessed by Gov. Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State.
Speaking during the ceremony, Yahaya said that the project was one of the biggest capital projects in the history of the state.
He described the project as a vital step towards restoring agricultural and environmental landscapes ravaged by gully erosion and environmental degradation in the state.
“As you are aware, Gombe State is regarded as the erosion capital of the north-east subregion.
“Over several decades, we have witnessed the devastating impact of gully erosion, posing threats to agricultural lands, displacing communities, and endangering the future of our environment.
“The signing of this contract for control of gully erosion, which traverses through London-Maidorowa, Mallam-Inna, Wuro-Ladde, Wuro-Kesa, Arawa and Kagarawal, marks our unwavering commitment to preserving and safeguarding the environment and livelihoods of the people.”
The governor said there were over 200 active erosion sites in the state.
He added that no fewer than 400,000 people lived along the gully corridors in the state, living in constant fear of their lives and property.
“About 85 percent of those people are poor and therefore lack the wherewithal and resilience to withstand or militate against such a devastating environmental menace,” he said.
Yahaya commended the World Bank and the ACRESAL project team for their support and pledged to leverage any available opportunities to restore the environment, enhance productivity, and improve the livelihoods of the people.
Speaking earlier, the Gombe State Commissioner for Water, Environment and Forest Resources, Mr. Mohammed Fawu commended Yahaya’s commitment to restoring the environment.
Fawu said that the state government paid over N500 million in counterpart contributions and met all necessary requirements for the project.
The commissioner said that through the ACReSal project, the state was able to recover about 31,000 hectares of degraded land and plant over 9,700 trees in strategic locations in the state.
In his remarks, the Managing Director of Triacta Nigeria Ltd., Mr. Elie Farhat, commended the state government’s commitment while ensuring quality work that would help improve the lives and livelihoods of the affected communities.
The project is under the Agro-Climate Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACRESAL) project.
ACreSAL is a World Bank-assisted project aimed at addressing the challenges of land degradation and climate change in northern Nigeria.
