Desert Encroachment

Desert Encroachment: Poor Response on Managing Disasters

Yusuf Dingyadi

"Nigeria is not ready for control of disaster, as 85% of disasters in Nigeria are man-made, they are those created by us" Emmanuel 1jenwere, (Nigeria Red Cross)

For long I have been studying the plight of our people in the North West, especially states like Sokoto, Katsina, Kebbi and Zamfara over deserts encroachment and soil erosion which has bedeviled all kind of socio activities of our people from this part of Nigeria.

I felt delighted given the invitation by the members of the National Assembly from Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states to be part of their team on a courtesy visit to the Minister of Environment, who happens to be from the same zone with us.

To my knowledge the visit was non political or rather to cooperate. It was the first visit of its kind initiated officially and collectively by the members, in order to map out ways of solving some problem affecting their constituencies with those on power in Abuja.

Firstly, I assigned blame on the Federal Government on not doing enough on this problems and the non co-operation of some affected state governments whos this problems is pathetic in their areas, due to their political differences.

The gravity of desert encroachment and soil erosion in villages and major cities in this part of this country is becoming a source of concern to the people. Massive flood and overflowing of some lakes as a result of last years rainy season are indication of the fact that we are facing not only problems of environment in which our people are living in fear of any natural disaster.

Statistics have shown that desert is encroaching with about 20 to 30 kilometers annually or more than that in contrast to 10 years back, when we had difference from that or less below that in each 4-years, where there is shelterbelt programmes.

Since it was notice by experts over 154,725 people have lost their farmlands and over that figures were rendered homeless, as result of such disaster within seven years of assessment in five states. The story of model villages in Gidan Gana and Gambanda of now Zamfara state nine years ago, are all fresh in our memory in which lives and property worth millions of naira were destroyed by floods and erosion.

The construction of twin shelter homes for the flood victims at Dange, Yar Akija, Isa and Kware all of present Sokoto state some years back were too pathetic into our memories. These and many temporary makeshifts for the victims were all around, among us. The disaster occurrences have no boundary from Kaduna to Kano, from Kebbi to Sokoto.

The states that are facing this large problems of fast deserts encroachment in Nigeria are Sokoto, Kebbi, Jigawa, Katsina, and Zamfara due to their North West geographical locations. Sokoto and Kebbi states face the most devastating effect of engulfing over 145 and 170 kilometers of total landmass in less than 15-20 years coming.

Despite aforestations programmes initiated by the past governments in these area on the tree planting it has only bring temporary measures on curtailing desert encroachment in years back, by getting to 5.7 million seedlings in 750 villages of the six most affected states, there are indication that not 25 percent of the project is succeeded in getting the targeted areas, this are due to untimely death of the trees, neglect from agencies responsible; or destruction by animals on such shelters-belts.

This problem is completely different with the one in Zamfara and Kebbi states, where it was said farmlands roads and bridges were destroyed due to soil erosion and massive floods between 1989-2002. While in Kano and Kaduna last year alone, more than 2420 farmlands and 1050 houses were destroyed in 12 local government areas of the two states.

Unlike last year, River Basins of Sokoto and Hadejia/Jamaare had taken some little measures against floods and overflowing of their dams. That has temporarily minimize the over flooding and destruction of property more especially farm lands and houses in Kebbi and Sokoto states as experienced last two years.

But still Gulbin Rima, Gagare and Bunsuru were all threatening their neighbours, more especially looking at what happened back in similar incident that occurred in which over 650 hectares of farm lands were submerged in floods at three different states.

Although, Kaduna state is not lucky as those areas, because of opening up of the waterways that has caused much floods, which rendered hundreds of people homeless. Inspite of that, whenever the flood disasters come nobody can prevent it. If there is one signs of negligence on past governments on this issue is lack of care, management control to the general society by reducing its massive effect or damages.

In his speech, on behalf of his colleagues from Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states, Honourable Usman Mohammed Balkore (ANPP House Whip) has registered their dismay on how past governments did not take such issue as serious in finding the lasting solution to desert encroachment, floods and soil erosion problems.

He was surprise on the non-availability of data information of knowing how to curtailed this calamity befalling our people, as result of over flooding and soil erosion. In those areas, which rendered people homeless and destroying their farmlands.

Honourable Usman Balkore has called on the minister to map out plans to address the problems of deserts encroachment and soil erosion in the northwest region, with particular reference to Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states, so that people would be relieved of these menaces.

He told the Minister of Environments that they left their offices with hope and determination of bringing ends of these suffering which not only affect such areas, but make their people to be living in fear of human made disaster.

Honourable Balkore, who represents Kware and Wamakko Federal Constituency of Sokoto state one of the area seriously hit by floods last two years, has said it is necessary for the federal government and National Assembly to make a bill which would become an act on finding ways of solving problem of indiscriminate felling of trees, that are part of major ways for ending such calamity.

Another problem in Sokoto state is soil Erosion as it still devastated people, especially where the soil erosion has almost separated two main areas of Rabah, Sokoto state and Bakura, Zamfara state, at particular village called Gandi, this problem needs urgent attention from Federal Government, in order to salvage the people of these area from erosion, that stopped their commercial activities and cut them into boundaries.

In addition the members have pointed to the Minister that there is need for immediate plans to address problem of erosion where it mostly affected in these states.

Another point maker is in Zamfara state (home state of the minister) where soil erosion has almost cut the entire north west of the state to the state capital at Dan Marke Bridge, in which, part of bridge collapsed into one big gully erosion. However, there was other menace of erosion eating deeply the sideway of a major road that linked cities of Sokoto, Talata Mafara and Gusau, Zamfara state.

Besides, the members has talked about the menace of desert encroachment in their regions, in which Honourable Bala Na Allah from Kebbi state, said the federal government needs to do something urgent about the threat posed by desert encroachment in some local government areas of Kebbi state

This official visits of elected members of the three most affected states where the menace of deserts, floods and erosions affected most is a most welcome effort, since their inauguration last year.

Indeed, we would not forget the National meeting on tree planting convened by President Olusegun Obasanjo in Katsina state, and its similar one that would create a fence shelter belt to some parts of northern states, starting from Borno state.

Although nothing being done apart from age long traditional tree-planting exercise that always ends with providing animals with their new grazing area, no open achievement on the part of such programme.

Despite huge amount of funds being spent, almost all the plant attached to the problem has not yielded any results on our people.

As the Minister of Environment, Colonel Bala Mande rtd assured the legislatures that Federal Government would give priority on making new policies on the desert encroachment and soil erosion instead of spending funds on the aforestations, we hope that Minister will be able to fulfilled and stay on this challenge of liberating his people from this problems.

The menace is speeding like a bush fire, it is imperative to realized the danger posed to the lives of our people, it is expected from the state governments to emulate the effort of their National Assembly members whom had forgotten their political differences and come out to salvage their people from the threat of deserts encroachment, floods and soil erosion.

Whatever funds spent in salvaging lives of the people are not in vein, or much, because it would assist our next coming generation in protecting their future

What happened to the Gidan Kaura Village of Gada Local Government, Sokoto state, almost over ten years ago, is shameful and lamentable to allow it happened again, as sand dunes forced people to abandon their houses, farmlands and historical places, to migrate into other place completely, because they have lost all their property in the sand dunes.

There is also indication of such coming again as report indicate hot wind with sand is moving with threat especially toward some kilometers to Gwadabawa, Illela, Gudu, Silame, Gada Sabon Birni and Goronyo all of Sokoto state. The same problem is affecting some villages in Dandi, Arewa, Argungu, Shanga and part of Yauri local governments of Kebbi state.

Even people of Zamfara were not immune from the hot sand, floods and deserts approaching, especially at Zurmi (Ministers birthplace), Kaurar Namoda, Birnin Magaji, Talata Mafara, Gummi, Maradun and Bakura local governments of Zamfara state.

The story is the same in some places of Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Yobe and Borno states, that desert threatens their people during hot or harmattan seasons. Inspite of the fact that, we had several regimes in which northern people were the leaders, nothing was done to address the menace, and still our people were left to decide future of fighting these problem, themselves, as all it has shown

Our hope, on this visit of the members of the National Assembly is to become the foundation of ending this problem once and for all. History will absolve them for taking this bold step with the appropriate officials of the government.

The pledge made by the Minister of Environments, as to join hand with his other counterpart in the Water Resources in order to address the issue of flood and desert encroachment by expansion of Bakalori Dam, is a challenge to them, as all of them are from same geographical area, that was affected much; and as politicians it will be of great advantage to their people to done something that can benefit them.

If this arrangement were executed, it would benefit about 70 percent of irrigation activities and reduces the burden of over flooding and lost of farm products, from the farmers that lives across those two large dams.

It is good for the other governments agencies to map out policies that would address squarely this problem, devoid of political consideration so that it would go shoulder by shoulder with the federal governments resolve to contain flood disaster, soil erosion and desert encroachment for the benefit of entire citizen.

It is imperative for them to realize that beautification of township; construction of roads in cities would not benefit the average masses that are battling with floods, soil erosion and seedlings damages. It is good for them, to face the menace in such a way that even when they are no longer in power, people would be grateful to their effective policies.

The issue of Rabah town, thirty kilometer from Sokoto state capital and also a birth-place of Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir, Ahmadu Bello, (Premier of Northern Nigeria) where floods and erosion engulf almost all the Senior Secondary School is regret, as it disrupt learning in the only government owned Girls School in the area, that government has to relocate the School to Illela town,

It is high time now that government allows itself to be in order for as lack of good care makes some officers to be responsible for jeopardizing the lives of these children. Some of them were seeing floating in the flood during this incident in the night.

And the similar problem is now facing one of the oldest Girls Secondary School at Kotorkoshi and Talata Mafara of Zamfara state and College of Agriculture, Zuru, Kebbi state.

Our leader should keep vigil salvaging the lives of masses children to avert the destruction of property and lives; it is good to address the problem so that it would save a lot of people lives and properties.

We hope that Minister Bala Mande, would work with the advise of his expertise and other people, so as to salvage his people in the north from floods, desertification and other man made disasters.

He should remember that, like other gone Ministers before him in that office, he is leaving the seat one day, it is good for him to heed the advices given to him by the members of the National Assembly. He should help people in this problem and find lasting solution to it.

On their part, the Honourable Members should keep the feeling of their constituencies at heart, and make sure it is acted upon, in a way that a benefit would be derived in the fight against desertification, and soil erosion menace in both this area the entire country.

The Federal Government must use its power to pressurize state governments that were in the habit of diverting ecological funds on desertification and soil erosion, that they should utilize the funds judiciously, instead of deviating them on their personal needs, different from the intending projects.

We should not forget the statement of President of the Nigeria Red Cross Society, who said "almost all the eighty percent of disaster befalling Nigeria today; are man made, that is, ourselves created them for either our selfishness or other reasons."

People outside our area are very pathetic with such calamity befalling our people. Our country according to experts is still not ready for preparedness of disaster, no organized disaster management control.

The disaster that we created to ourselves include lack of coordination of people continue bush-burning, building on waterways, and poor control of gully erosion. We cannot be compared with some countries that faced eighty percent natural disasters like Bangladesh, India, and China.

In his visit to Sokoto recently the Speaker House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari confirm their intention of assisting the North West to over come the issue of deserts and Soil control, which according to him still devastated the region than any thing.

It is our collective responsibility to see the success of the crusade against desertification, and soil erosion initiated by those Honourables that are now prepared to face the bull by the horn, and take necessary steps in order to protect our people from such calamity.

Yusuf Dingyadi

Free-lance Journalist,

No 88, Emir Yahaya Road, Sokoto.

Email: dingyadimedia@yahoo.com