By ARMSTRONG ALLAHMAGANI, Bauchi-
Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has disclosed that British investors are planning to take over the Yankari Game Reserve and Safari and are ready to invest $18 million in the tourist site.
He however lamented that despite these investments coming to the State, the activities of bandits who have invaded the Reserve are becoming a threat to the development.
Mohammed stated this in his speech at the launching of 2023 Tree Planting Campaign which was held on Thursday at the Dungal Housing Estate, Bauchi.
He vowed that he will not fold his hands and allow unscrupulous elements to destroy the state or take over the reserve declaring that: “I’ll either die or they die than allow them to take over Yankari from me.”
According to him: “Today, we are happy, we’re being recognized by the international community, Bauchi has become the next investment destination. Our biodiversity, which is Yankari, British investors that came here, discussed with us seriously and they are ready to take over Yankari to save our Fauna and Flora, to save our animals with an initial investment of $18 million of their own money and to bring security.
“For the last week, we have been battling with bandits inside Yankari. I will never allow them to take over Yankari from me, under my time, no, no way! I will either die or they die, they will not be there. I am assuring you, the people of Bauchi.
“So we will have to work, we don’t have to sleep because so many things are going on against us.”
Speaking further, he lamented that the activities of tree-fellers across the 20 local government areas of the state has exposed the state to various environmental problems like erosion, flooding, deforestation, among others.
He therefore declared war on charcoal business in the state as, according to him, trees are being cut down for that purpose which creates more problems for the state.
“Our commitment to survive as a people irrespective of climate change around us if we are doing things that are not good which is helping the enemy, the manifestation of drought, erosion, flooding, deforestation, hunger and so on are all attributed to climate change.
“Unfortunately, we are the unwilling messengers of collaborators. We have to work on our ecosystem, it is a harmonious call, it is an organism, we are all part of the universe. The universe is devastated by our activities and we know that it is not a laughing matter, it is the fact. We appear to be overwhelmed by the activities of criminals, those who don’t want to listen, those who disobey and cause problems for all of us.
“Our trees are being felled, charcoal business has become the order of the day. We have been arresting them every day and somehow, our neighbours have stopped but we have willing collaborators in our leaders, political leaders like you and me. And members of the traditional institutions in the villages give the right of way to do charcoal. Even in our towns, people are allowed to build in drainages constituting danger for themselves and others.
“We are here in this estate to show you that tree planting is the way to go for sustainable development. We need to come together and fight for our survival, we need to take back our environment. We need to assure our future generations that we have to live and that humanity is here to thrive.
“We have to go by legislation, by persuasion and enforcement, we will not close our eyes and leave anybody, no matter how highly placed they are to desertificate our society and our environment.
“From today, we have declared war against charcoal business in Bauchi, those felling trees anyhow. Sometimes, as I move on the road, we’ll see people with machines felling trees and when you asked, they’ll tell you that they have been given permission by the Director of Forestry either in the state or the local government. We have to be very aggressive,” he stated.
He directed the Commissioner of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, the 20 Caretaker Committee Chairmen and their Councilors to compete among themselves to see who will be best in terms of planting trees; adding that, “I am directing them to involve their district heads, their village and hamlet heads and all leaders. I assure you that within two years, you’ll see what will happen.”
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