NAN-H-40
Communities
Gujba (Yobe), Nov. 14, 2016 (NAN) Residents of communities in Gujba and Gulani Local Government Areas of Yobe who returned to their communities after staying for three years as Internally Displaced Persons in other places, have started picking their pieces.
A correspondent of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who visited Gotala, Ngurbuwa, Goniri, Katarko, Gujba, Buni Yadi and Buni Gari towns of the local government areas, reports that normalcy has returned fully.
In most of the communities, residents were seen harvesting their crops as most of them were able to engage in farming activities this year as a result of improvement in the security situation.
Malam Bukar Tela, a farmer in Gotala, said that harvest in his community was generally good and encouraging, thereby reducing the challenges of food scarcity in the community.
“Now that normalcy is gradually returning to these communities, we are ready to partner with organizations to go into irrigation farming to rebuild our lives” he said.
Kalli Ibrahim and Mohammadu Bakabe, farmers in Katarko village said they had already commenced irrigation farming and therefore appealed for assistance from government through the Fadama scheme.
Modu Wanzam, a traditional barber and farmer in Buni Yadi, town,said “the farmlands have regained fertility after they were abandoned three years ago; we need the support of government to exploit the rich soil,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Fadama lll agricultural project in the state has shortlisted 103 communities in the state for assistance under the Additional Financing ll Scheme to promote agricultural activities.
Alhaji Musa Garba, Yobe Coordinator of Fadama lll, disclosed this on Saturday while receiving the Fadama lll Desk officer, Ibrahim Alkali, in Damaturu.
He said the new project was aimed at improving the lives of victims of insurgency in the state through agriculture.
The coordinator said the state project office had adequate facilitators to provide technical support to the benefitting communities to boost production and promote food security.
Responding, the Desk officer, Mr Ibrahim Alkali, assured that the National Fadama office would support any move aimed at improving the living condition of victims of insurgency.
Alkali commended the Yobe government for settling its share of N20 million counterpart fund to facilitate take-off of the programme in the state. (NAN)
MM /ASH/ASH