The construction of a bridge across Kamanda stream at Dansoshiya Grazing Reserve in Kiru local government area of Kano state is key to the success of the state government’s plan to transform the reserve into a mega Ruga settlement project.
The reserve, which is about 4, 400 hectares is cut into two halves by the stream, hindering year-round access to both sides as well as to services and markets in big towns.
The State Project Coordinator, Kano State Agro Pastoral Development Project, Malam Ibrahim Garba Muhammad made this known while receiving a delegation from Borno State government, led by the state Commissioner for Animal Resources and Fisheries Development, Comrade Juliana Bitrus.
He noted that “the grazing reserve currently accommodates hundreds of households who lack access to resources and are faced with the risk of losing their lives and property while crossing the stream especially during the rainy season”.
“Therefore, to be able to reach Fulani households for vaccination campaigns, livelihood support and access to other services, the bridge is very essential”.
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“We are seeking the opinion of the Islamic Development Bank on this matter and on the construction of more earth dams to make our multi-billion Naira investment in the reserve more worthwhile”.
Malam Ibrahim emphasized that besides investing in communal and household level fodder development endeavours, the project would provide a fence for the reserve covering 25 kilometres, construct 20-kilometre access roads, a nomadic school, a market and milk collection centres, among other amenities.
“A Ruga project such as this needs political will to achieve its target and we are driven by the support we are getting from Gov. Ganduje, to make this project a big success story”.
He disclosed that the state government would demarcate, gazette and monument its stock routes to mitigate recurrent conflicts between herdsmen and farmers.
In her remarks, the Borno state Commissioner for Animal Resources and Fisheries Development, Comrade Juliana Bitrus, who had earlier on visited the grazing reserve, explained that the visit was to learn from the experience of Kano, in establishing Ruga settlement.
