Agriculture: Gombe State tasks traditional, religious leaders with conducive environment

As the rainy season for the year 2022 settles in, traditional and religious leaders have been charged to work hard to restore peace in the troubled areas of Gombe State to allow farmers engage in food production.

Speaking on behalf of the State Governor,  Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, during the inauguration of the Christian Welfare Board, the Secretary to the Gombe State Government, Professor Abubakar Njodi, said it was disheartening that some parts of the State were once again witnessing communal clashes, but that promotion of peace in those areas would contribute to ensuring that farming activities take place across the State.

Specifically, Professor Njodi charged the two groups to evolve home-grown strategies to settle both family and community-based disputes to ensure normalcy and peaceful co-existence.

Professor Njodi said that recent skirmishes had displaced farmers from their homes, thereby denying them the opportunity to cultivate the land and produce food for the people.

He said the sad events happening in some parts of the State should not be allowed to go on.

“Communities must eschew bitterness and learn to live peacefully with one another,” said Professor Njodi.

He said the Governor Yahaya-led administration had been doing its best to ensure that peace remains and is sustained in the area.

To the Christian Pilgrims’ Welfare Board members, Professor Njodi said Governor Yahaya asked them to put in their best to ensure successful Christian Pilgrimages to Israel, Jordan, or any other significant Holy places in the world.

The Chairman of the Christian Pilgrims’ Welfare Board, His Royal Highness Dr. Chachis, thanked and appreciated the Governor for finding him worthy to be part of the board while appealing to the board members to be patient and prayerful at all times so that the needed peace would prevail in the State.

He also urged Christians to always forgive all those who wronged them and be contented at all times by ensuring that they do not covet other people’s things.

He appealed to Governor Yahaya to provide a timely supply of fertilizers to farmers as the ones in the market were very expensive and far beyond the reach of the poor farmers and with little remaining for the rainy season cropping season, high crop yield may be poor.

The Chairman of the Gombe State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board said the Governor-Yahaya-Led Gombe Goes Green Project should not be limited to the tree planting project across the State, but should be extended to cover agricultural activities in the State.

On security challenges and recurring violence in some parts of the State, a traditional ruler said security agencies alone would not solve the problems in the various communities.

“The residents know exactly where the challenges are and could change the narratives by forgiving always and seeking forgiveness,”  the traditional ruler added.