By Halilu Mohammed Teli
The Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) in Gombe State has raised concerns over acts of vandalism at some of its intervention sites, warning that damage to project infrastructure could undermine efforts to tackle land degradation and climate-related challenges in the state.
The State Project Coordinator, Dr. Sani Adamu Jauro, said reports indicated that protective fences installed around gully erosion control sites had been dismantled in some communities, threatening the sustainability of the facilities.
“We have received reports that some individuals are removing the protective fences put in place to secure our gully erosion sites. This is unfortunate and unacceptable,” Jauro said.
He spoke during a five-day stakeholders’ training on the Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) held at the Command Guest House in Gombe, where government officials, traditional leaders, civil society representatives and community members gathered to deliberate on transparency and accountability in project implementation.
Jauro warned that the long-term success of the project depends heavily on community participation and a sense of shared responsibility.
“The success of ACReSAL interventions depends largely on collective responsibility. These projects are sited in your communities for your benefit. If we do not take ownership, we risk losing everything we have worked hard to achieve,” he said.
He cautioned against what he described as an “I-don’t-care attitude” among some residents, stressing that vandalism and negligence could reverse environmental gains already recorded.
“When you vandalise or neglect public infrastructure, you are not hurting the government alone — you are hurting yourselves and future generations,” he added.
According to him, the Gombe State Government committed significant resources and effort to secure the project for the state, and beneficiaries must play their part in protecting the facilities.
“The government has invested substantial time and resources to bring this project to Gombe. It is now our collective duty to safeguard it and ensure it delivers lasting impact,” Jauro said.
He emphasised that protecting public infrastructure is a shared obligation, calling on traditional rulers, youth groups and community associations to intensify sensitisation efforts.
“We must move away from the mindset that government property belongs to no one. Government property belongs to all of us, and we must protect it as our own,” he said.
On the purpose of the training, Jauro explained that the Grievance Redress Mechanism was designed to strengthen transparency and provide formal channels for addressing complaints.
“The GRM is there to ensure that any concern or misunderstanding is properly reported and resolved. It gives communities a voice and ensures accountability in project implementation,” he said.
He added that strengthening the grievance redress system would help prevent conflicts, build trust and promote smoother execution of ACReSAL activities across benefiting communities.
ACReSAL is aimed at addressing land degradation and improving environmental resilience in semi-arid regions through interventions such as gully erosion control, watershed management and livelihood support programmes, with community ownership considered central to its sustainability.
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