ASHENEWS reports that the Niger State governor, Mohammed Bago on Thursday inaugurated a committee to recover all grazing reserves in the state.
The committee is expected to aggregate all idle lands in all the 25 local government areas of the state, as part of the state government’s effort at implementing the Pulaku initiative of the federal government.
Speaking shortly before inaugurating the committee, the Niger State governor, Mohammed Bago said that the state government currently has data on 23 grazing reserves across all the 25 local government areas of the state.
The governor said that the state government intends to take control of all such reserves in line with the land use acts in the state.
According to him, the move became necessary because most of these areas have been occupied by criminals.
This is in addition to the degradation of such reserves by loggers and poachers.
He said that the state executive council was mulling the reactivation of forest guards to man such unguarded territories.
The terms of reference of the committee include a mandate to identify all grazing reserves owned by the state and federal governments.
The committee is also expected to trace the relevant histories associated with such areas and also propose ways of compensation, if necessary.
This is in addition to a mandate to determine the size and status of each grazing site.
The committee has been given three weeks to carry out its assessment and submit its findings.
This online platform reports that the committee chaired by the Emir of Kagara, Ahmed Gunna also has the CEO of Niger Foods, Sammy Adigun as a member.
Others include the state Commissioners of Agriculture, Lands and Survey, Tertiary Education, Nomadic, and Pastoralists as well as the Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change.
Also included as members are the permanent secretaries of the ministries of Lands and Survey, Basic Education as well as the Surveyor General of the state, who is to serve as the secretary of the committee.
