SENATOR SAHABI YA’U KAURA NAMODA TRAINS 250 STAKEHOLDERS ON RUGA DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
The Senator representing Zamfara North Senatorial District in Zamfara state, Alhaji Sahabi Ya’u, Kaura Namoda has organised a two-day workshop for 250 stakeholders on his initiated Rural Grazing Area (RUGA) development project.
The workshop which took place at the Federal Polytechnic Kaura-Namoda was organised by Rahusa Ventures Limited in collaboration with AMSAG Development and Public Health Consulting Ltd.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the training on Thursday in Kaura Namoda, the lawmaker said that the project was in partnership with the National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI) of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria.
Ya’u represented by the consultant of the project, Dr Abdullahi Maiwada, said the project was aimed to complement the state government’s efforts in addressing the lingering security challenges facing the state.
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“We conceived the idea of establishing RUGA project to support government at all levels in providing solutions to financial and economic problem bedeviling the Northern parts of the state.
“Today we have concluded step down training and mobilisation activity for our rural community members.”
The participants are expected to go down to grassroots level to ensure that all stakeholders were brought together to ensure better understanding on the project”, the lawmaker said.
Yau said, a total of 250 participants comprising traditional rulers, religious and community leaders, fulani/herders leaders were selected from the four LGAs of the constituency.
According to him, the project would also provide quality production of both meat and milk and also provide job opportunity for many people in the state.
In his speech, the State Commissioner for Forestry and Livestock Development, Dr Ibrahim Abdullahi, who represented Gov. Bello Matawalle, at the event commended Ya’u for organising the workshop.
Abdullahi called on politicians to emulate the lawmaker for initiating the project.
He said arrangements have been concluded by the state government to import goats and cows from South Africa and Norway as part of its efforts to develop livestock development in the state.
Abdullahi said the project would serve as a model in developing RUGA project in the state.
According to him, the sum of N2.4 billion was spent on the construction of RUGA project in Maradun local government area, which is almost in completion stage.
“A total sum of N8.2 billon was also earmarked for the construction of three RUGA settlement across three senatorial districts of the state”, the Commissioner said.
A Professor of Rural Sociology, Federal University Birnin Kebbi, Prof. Tukur M Baba, who presented a paper at the occasion said, due to the growing population, the land for roaming about and nomadism was no more available. He stressed that, Government at all levels should wake up and do the needful towards improving the welfare of the herders who according to him have been living in poor condition.
He said apart from construction of RUGA settlements, the Government should ensure the availability of animal feeds, water and security.
This according to him will make the herders find a place to live and stop roaming around in the farmlands which he said was one of the reasons for Fulani/herders clashes.
