Kaduna State is committing huge resources to solve a longstanding environmental problem, writes SALISU YUSUF
For more than 30 years, the people of Rigasa and adjoining communities in Kaduna State have lived with an environmental catastrophe that successive administrations acknowledged but never fully confronted. Deep gully erosion, land degradation, flooding, and the gradual destruction of homes and livelihoods became a permanent feature of life for thousands of residents. Entire communities watched helplessly as fertile land disappeared, roads collapsed, properties were swallowed, and lives were put at constant risk. Today, that long season of neglect appears set to end.
In what is being described as one of the most ambitious environmental remediation initiatives ever undertaken by a subnational government in Nigeria, Governor Uba Sani has approved a massive N34 billion intervention project aimed at tackling the devastating erosion crisis affecting Rigasa and neighbouring communities.
Beyond the impressive financial commitment, the project represents something far more significant: a decisive demonstration of leadership that prioritises long-term solutions over temporary fixes and places vulnerable communities at the centre of governance.
