Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya on Tuesday presented cheques to beneficiaries of the Community Revolving Fund (CRF), a scheme designed to empower local communities and stimulate economic growth through accessible financial support.
The Governor also officially launched the 2024 tree planting campaign, aimed at combating desertification and promoting environmental sustainability in the state.
Addressing a gathering of community leaders and environmental stakeholders at the flag-off event in Bage community, Funakaye local government, the Governor emphasized the importance of tree planting in mitigating the impact of climate change and promoting environmental sustainability and resilience.
According to him, “Through the Gombe Goes Green (3G) project, we planted about 4 million trees to mitigate desert encroachment, prevent erosion, and reverse land degradation.”
“It is clear that our resolve to take climate action through sustainable tree planting over the past five years stems from the need to address the visible adverse effects of climate change on our environment, economy, and agriculture,” the Governor said.
He added, “With partnerships from the World Bank, initially through the NEWMAP project and now through the ACReSAL project, we have successfully addressed and remedied several severe gully sites in Gombe State, bringing relief to affected communities and safeguarding the livelihoods of our people.”
Inuwa Yahaya further disclosed that under the ACReSAL project, the Gombe state government has succeeded in recovering about 140 hectares of land through its afforestation campaign across the state.
He stressed that the recovery was part of a larger plan to deliver a total of 1,905 hectares of afforestation in 2024 while ensuring the planting of 1,742,400 seedlings of various types such as mahogany, syzygium, mango, cashew, eucalyptus, and moringa.
The Governor then presented cheques to beneficiaries of the ACReSAL’s Community Revolving Fund (CRF) to enhance the capacity of community and farmer groups to practice climate-smart agriculture, promote sustainable agricultural practices, address local conflicts, and foster mutual understanding and peace in communities for overall economic prosperity and well-being.
The Governor warned beneficiaries of the Fund to ensure the funds are not utilized for a different purpose, maintaining that “the facility is not a grant or a government largesse but a loan that must be repaid within the stipulated time to allow others to benefit. The loan should be used prudently to improve agricultural production, enhance food security, and uplift community welfare.”
He further emphasized that the initiative aims to create employment opportunities, especially for vulnerable groups such as women, people with special needs, and youths, as part of renewed efforts to improve agricultural production, ensure food security, and sustain the fight against poverty in the state.
A total of forty-seven Community Interest Groups from the two catchment areas of FCE(T), which include Tukulma-Beto, Unguwa Uku, Kagarawal, Wuro Kesa, and Malam Inna communities, and Bajoga, which consists of Lamurde, Kesala Jauro Sajo, Zazirmari, Sangaru, and Shara Mansur communities, have met the criteria for selection and disbursement under the pilot phase of the initiative.
In his remarks, the National Project Coordinator of ACReSAL, Dr. Abdulhamid Umar, said Gombe stands tall among states in the country with near-perfect implementation of ACReSAL activities for the benefit of the environment.
He added that the 2024 tree planting campaign launched by Governor Inuwa Yahaya underscores the importance his administration attaches to the environment, citing the laudable initiatives of the Gombe state government.
He further expressed gratitude to Governor Inuwa Yahaya for playing a pivotal role in ACReSAL’s activities through his environmentally friendly policies, such as the Gombe Goes Green (3G) initiative and other efforts targeted at enhancing the environment.
While delivering his remarks, the Commissioner of Environment, Water, and Forest Resources, Mohammed Sa’idu Fawu, explained that his ministry, in collaboration with ACReSAL, has concluded arrangements to plant a total of sixteen thousand trees to complement the efforts of the Inuwa-led administration in tackling climate challenges in the state.
On the Community Revolving Fund, the Commissioner disclosed that the 47 Community Interest Groups selected for the pilot phase of the initiative will receive the sum of N35 million each, bringing the total to N1.6 billion, with a plan to expand the program to other eligible communities across the state.
In his short remarks, the State Coordinator of ACReSAL, Dr. Sani Adamu Jauro, said the project’s achievements in the state would not have been possible without the consistent support of Governor Inuwa Yahaya, whose administration places a special premium on environmental sustainability and reclamation.
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He pledged the Project’s continued commitment to implementing initiatives that support the economic growth and development of Gombe state in line with the Governor’s vision.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Chairman of Funakaye Local Government Area, Shuaibu Abdulrahaman, explained that the flag-off of the 2024 tree planting campaign and the presentation of cheques to beneficiaries of the community revolving funds by Governor Inuwa Yahaya is a feat that must be celebrated.
He promised to monitor the utilization of the funds and the implementation of the tree projects by the benefiting communities within his area.
Goodwill messages were delivered by the Emir of Gona, HRH Alhaji Umar Abdulkadir Abdulsalam II, his counterpart from Funakaye, HRH Alhaji Yakubu Mohammed Kwairanga, and the Commissioner of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Cooperative, Dr. Barnabas Malle.
The beneficiaries expressed gratitude for the support, acknowledging that the funds would significantly enhance their capacity to implement community-driven initiatives, agricultural ventures, and other income-generating activities that align with the state’s sustainable development goals.
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