In what seems to be a move towards complementing the actualization of the Federal Government conceived RUGA project in the state, Kano state government has commissioned a 25 units housing project in the Dansoshiya Ruga Settlement which is situated in Kiru, in the outskirt of the state capital.
The commissioning of the project is coming on the heels of a call made by Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, on the Federal Government to banned the trans-border movement of herders from other African countries into Nigeria, as a way of tackling the festering Fulani-herders induced conflict across the country.
Governor Ganduje who made the call, Saturday, while, commissioning the housing project, says that the 25 units of houses commissioned were built under the first phase of the housing project, designed to accommodate a total of 200 houses meant for the Fulani Herdsmen that will settle in the RUGA.
He stated that the call became imperative as the coming of herdsmen from other African countries into the country, with weapons has been identified to be the chief driving factor for the escalation of clashes between herders and farmers.
Commenting on the Dansoshiya RUGA settlement, the governor noted that it would serve as the nucleus of RUGA settlement project in the state, explaining that the project was designed to serve three fundamental reasons, first and foremost was to reduce clashes between farmers and herders, secondly to avoid movement of herders which is the source of conflict and to avoid cattle rustling.
According to him, there is the need for the establishment of more of the settlement as it will help in reducing the challenges of cattle rustling, kidnapping, armed robbery, and other forms of criminalities, associated with herders.
“It is absolutely necessary to improve and modernize the breeding system for Fulani cattle. As it clear that a gallon of milk is more expensive than one gallon of petrol, it is, therefore, necessary for us to utilize this great opportunity.
“In order to make the settlement purpose of its establishment, we have going to construct schools, and a hospital in the settlement, so that the people settling there could get access to good health delivery system and be educated. And I wish to make it clear that our government is working on another RUGA project which we are situating in Falgore forest ”, the governor further disclosed.
”in his address at the occasion, Jibrilla Muhammed, managing director, Kano State Investment and Properties Company (KSIP) who is also the Chairman of the state RUGA Committee, told the governor that the work done is of good quality.
Muhammad pointed out that his committee is committed to making the RUGA project, one of the best in the federation which Herders outside the state will want to relocate to.
