Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON has restated his determination to restore the integrity of the BAP/ 4 layout in the State capital because of it relevance to the development of Gombe State.
He therefore instructed the Director General, Gombe Geographic Information Systems, GOGIS, Dr. Kabir Usman Hassan to use the Executive Order No. 4 signed by the governor in 2021 to take all necessary measures to revitalise the layout.
"Go back to executive order No. 4 and take immediate action. And whatever is necessary we shall do. If it means redesigning , revoking, and restoring titles based on what is available, we shall do so without any hesitation. Gombe has no any other place to expand beside this, so we cannot afford to loose it to the gully erosion", he said.
The governor restated this while inspecting environmental degradation at BAP/4 layout, behind Gombe International Hotel located within the proposed Gombe Capital Special Development Zone.
The Governor reiterated his administration's commitment to providing safe living environment for all people of the state by ensuring proper implementation of land reform and town planning standards.
Governor Inuwa said he was at the site to see for himself the extent of environmental devastation triggered by active gully erosion within the layout and to take all necessary actions towards restoring the area and making it fit and safe for habitation.
He said he was disturbed with the level of degradation in the area as gullies continue to expand by the day destroying more lands and making the place less suitable for human habitation, attributing the escalation of the problem to the increase in the erection of buildings around the layout, especially with the construction of Gombe International Hotel which drains down into the BAP4 layout.
He lament the nonchalant attitude of the land owners to the erosion problem despite development of several other catchment gullies that are spread along this layout causing more havoc to the area. "This layout was designed since Bauchi State days, and it is only land speculators that put up some small fences in order to maintain strong hold and gain value overtime not minding the environmental degradation that sets in", he said.
Other places visited by Governor Inuwa Yahaya included the Bauchi Motor park and the then North East International market site where the the state government is now proposing the construction of a State secretariat, a House of Assembly complex and a High Court in what can best be described as the state version of the Three Arm Zone.
He said the State government will in partnership with AcreSAL, work to tame some of the monstrous gullies within the BAP 4 layout to pave the way for development there and around proposed Three Arm Zone.
Earlier while conducting the Governor round, the Director General, GOGIS, Dr Kabiru Usman Hassan said, the BAP/4 layout consists of 176.8 hectares of customary land and is located within the region designated for the actualisation of Gombe Capital Special Development Zone which will house the Gombe High court and House of Assembly Complexes among other government institutions.
He applauded Governor Inuwa Yahaya's intervention to restore the layout considering its relevance to attracting investors and the overall development of the state.
Governor Inuwa also inspected the ongoing 1.6km road project linking Gabukka to Waterboard and extending to Pantami Livestock market through the highly populated settlements.
Speaking at the construction site, the governor expressed satisfaction with the speed and quality of the work, assuring to continue providing infrastructures and social amenities to the people of the area and Gombe State in General.
"Our vision is to construct road network, provide power, water supply and other amenities in this community the way we did in other areas", he said.
He called on people to avoid encroaching or building on road back spaces, cautioning that government will not condone such actions which he said will hinder further execution of development projects in the area.
The representative of the company handling the project, Triacta Nigeria Ltd said, despite problems faced because of the rainy season, the firm hopes to complete the road project by October this year, assuring to maintain quality work.
Speaking on behalf of the community, the Village Head of Gabukka, Haruna Abdullahi thanked Governor Inuwa for taking development to their doorsteps.
"In the long history of this community, this is the first time that government is constructing roads in our community. You have indeed written your name in gold and we and our children and grandchildren will remain grateful for this gesture", he applauded.
Ismaila Uba Misilli
Director-General
( Press Affairs)
Government House
Gombe
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