Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP), says it has embarked on community sensitisation activity in Gombe metropolis, to discourage indiscriminate dumping of waste on drains to control flooding.
Dr Salisu Dahiru, National Coordinator of the Project, told newsmen on Thursday INEC Gombe, that the exercise is being conducted in collaboration with the Gombe State Government.
Dahiru said the exercise was part of efforts towards restoring degraded land as well as combating menace of climate change and desertification.
Dahiru represented by Mr Anda Ayuba, NEWMAP Water Resources Specialist, said the community engagement would ensure that every investment made by NEWMAP in terms of erosion control is maintained.
He said the projects being implemented by NEWMAP, consists of maintenance component, hence, the engagement of communities and other stakeholders for their support and ownership.
“We have observed that most of the drains have problems in terms of waste. People now decide to dump wastes into them.
”The drains are meant for water and not for conveyance of waste,” he said.
Dahiru said that planting of trees was part of the catchment management plan of NEWMAP, adding the Project was planting between 500 and 1,000 trees along the corridors of the project ay the Gombe State University.
He commended the state government’s effort towards improving the environment through its commitment to counterpart funding and tree planting.
In a remark, Dr Hussaina Goje, the state Commissioner for Environment and Forest Resources, said the sensitisation was imperative to create awareness on the impact of human activities on flooding.
Goje warned residents against taking advantage of the wet season to dump waste on drains.
She added that the impact on flooding could wreak havoc on residents.
Goje said water channels were not made for wastes but a pathway to channel water bodies to safer locations where it would not create environmental issues.
Goje said the state government had designated waste collection points to enhance proper waste disposal, adding that residents should take their waste there.
According to her, the state government is planting 400 trees in Jekadafari community as part of effort by the present administration to plant one million trees every year.
She said that more trees would be planted in other communities.
Goje said over one million tree seedlings had so far planted under the Gombe Goes Green (3G) project. (NAN)
