By NewsBits
The Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has inaugurated a 10-man committee on the recovery of grazing lands and reserves in the State. The committee, which is chaired by the Emir of Kagara, Ahmed Attahiru Gunna II, was inaugurated by Governor, Umaru Bago,at the Government House, Minna, the state capital.
According to the governor, terms of reference of the committee are to identify all State and Federal government-owned grazing reserves; and trace relevant history associated with each grazing reserve. Others are; to ascertain the establishment, record of acquisition and payment of compensation if any; and to determine the size and present statuses of each grazing reserve.
He said the inauguration of the committee was necessary to further demonstrate his administration’s resolve on agriculture as well as aggregate the total land available for agricultural production in the state. He said 23 grazing reserves have been identified across the 25 local Government Areas of the state, adding that the government will take control of the reserves in accordance with the provisions of the Land Use Act.
The governor also disclosed that the move was in a bid to actualize the FULAKO initiative of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu. According to him, the state government has already entered into alignment with relevant stakeholders including Traditional Rulers to support its agricultural revolution policy, pointing out that the state has so many ungoverned spaces and most of them have become hideouts for hoodlums hence, the state government would reactivate forest guards to secure such places for agricultural activities.
Chairman of the Committee and Emir of Kagara, Ahmed Attahiru Gunna II, appreciated Gov Umaru Bago, for giving them the mandate and opportunity to serve the state. He promised that the committee would carry out its duties diligently, stressing that there is no room for failure considering the calibre of people in the Committee.
The Committee has three weeks to submit its report. Other members of the committee are the CEO of Niger Foods, Sammy Adigun, the Commissioners of Agriculture, Lands and Survey, Tertiary Education, Nomadic and Pastoralists as well as their counterparts in Environment and Climate Change.
Also included as members of the Committee are the Permanent Secretaries of the Ministries of Lands and Survey, that of Basic and Senior Education as well as the Surveyor General of the state, who is to serve as the Secretary.
