In a historic move to end farmers and herders conflicts, Gombe State Government under the L-PRES Project has awarded a contract worth 200 million naira to I.S. Surveying & Geo informatics, Ignited Goals Ltd. for the resurvey and re-demacation of 37 cattle routes and 7 grazing reserves across the eleven local Government Areas of the state.

 

Signing the contract at the conference hall of Gombe State Fadama Project yesterday after an engagement meeting with stakeholders, the Coordinator Gombe L-PRES Project Professor Usman Bello Abubakar charged the contractor to adhere to the agreed specifications contained in the agreement and the time frame six months as stipulated.

 

Professor Abubakar said the award of the contract marked a significant milestone towards finding a lasting solution to end the lingering conflicts between farmers and herders in the state that pestered for decades.

 

Professor Abubakar who expressed satisfaction with the development commended the State Governor Alhaji Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya for the bold initiative to confront the challenge head on describing the exercise as the last and only alternative solution to end the decades-long recurring crisis in the sector.

 

He clarified that, “the exercise is not about creating new routes but restoring internationally, nationally and locally recognized livestock routes that have existed since the colonial period”.

 

He charged community leaders, security agencies and the general public to remain vigilant and report any case of trespass.

In their goodwill message the Chairman All Farmers Association (AFAN) Gombe State Branch Alhaji Modibbo Sadeeq Ahmad Nafada and Gombe State Chairman Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) Alhaji Modibbo Yaya and other stakeholders, appreciated the state government initiative through the L-PRES Project.

 

They assured to support the project, the contractor and the state government in bringing a lasting peace in the state.They advised the State Government to reach out to community leaders who they described as the genesis of the potracted conflicts as a result of indiscriminate sale of livestock routes.

The contract is expected to be completed in 6 months..