Weekly Trust (Abuja)
Isa Sa'idu, Zaria
1 October 2007
Kaduna — For many years, Malam Uthman Bala Bakori, has failed in his attempts to secure government assistance to stem the soil erosion that threatens lives, houses, farmlands and even the cemetery of Tudun-Jukun town. Tudun-Jukun is the third largest in Zaria Local Government Area of Kaduna State with an estimated population of over 200,000.
The graves of the town's cemetery will soon expose their occupants courtesy of the erosion unless if there is urgent government intervention since all community efforts to curtail the worsening situation have failed.
Many people have already abandoned their houses, largely built of clay, on account of the threatening landslide.
Malam Bakori, the community's spokesman, told Weekly Trust, "Erosion has threatened the community in the past 27 years due to the absence of a good drainage system. The worst affected areas include the old cemetery, Malam Uthman Mai Gidan Dutse Street, and the street that runs parallel to the rail lines as far as the railway bridge."
Malam Bakori said the community did not fold its hands waiting for government intervention. They have made continuous efforts to assist themselves, but the magnitude of the erosion threat is far beyond their limits.
"We contribute money every year to stuff cement bags with sand and pile them up at the erosion site, but the rains wash away our efforts. We first appealed to the authorities for assistance in 1995 by inviting the then Zaria Local Government chairman, Alhaji Nabara, to personally inspect the erosion site. Unfortunately, the Local Government administration was soon dissolved.
"That was a setback, but we advanced with our efforts to achieve success. The erosion threat is real, and the lives of our families and houses are at stake. The cost of failure to arrest the erosion threat is much too awesome even to contemplate.
"In 1999, 2004, 2006 and this year the community wrote letters to the Local Government through the councilor representing the Tukur-Tukur ward in which the community is located and to the state government through the member representing our Waje constituency, all to no avail. The erosion will remain a threat without the intervention of the government."
Malam Bugaje Mai Shayi's house is also threatened by the erosion. "I am tired of talking to government officials and the press because it is of no use. Were you not here the other time?" This sums up Mai Shayi's frustration. "When I built and moved into this house about seven years ago, I thought I had waved good bye to landlords' harassments and the ugly things associated with rented accommodation. But this erosion has become my new landlord. The entrance to my house, as you can see, is about to be cut off by the erosion. My neighbours' houses are similarly threatened. If that happens, we would have a problem entering our houses."
Rainfall brings happiness and joy to many, especially the farmers, but the same cannot be said of Malam Uthman Mai Gidan Dutse, a farmer, who anticipates every rainy season with mixed feelings.
"Whenever it starts to rain, I am happy but also in serious fear. Allah showers his blessings upon mankind through the rains. But every rainy season increases the erosion threat we face.
"I built this house eight years. I have live in here with my family for only four years, but unless Allah's intervention is follow by the government's assistance I may have no option but to abandon the house in order to save my life and that of family," he said.
The vaults of Tudun-Jukun cemetery are equally threatened by the gully erosion, according to Malam Abdullahi NEPA.
"Apart from threatening our lives and property, the most heart rending aspect is how the erosion wears away the graves of our brothers and sisters. The living could rent alternative accommodation, but what about the dead?" Malam Abdullahi asked.
The immediate past chairman of the Zaria Local Government council, Alhaji Yahaya Aminu, has acknowledged that his council was aware of the problem and said he had personally visited the erosion site.
Alhaji Aminu told Weekly Trust that the Kaduna State House of Assembly's committee on environment had also visited the site and he hoped something would be done very soon.
What happened afterwards? The incumbent vice chairman of the council, Alhaji Kabiru Ballah, said, "We just came into the system. It is now that we are going to study the situation. Yes, when we were checking through the records we have seen what was put on paper. Because of the danger the erosion is posing, the Local Government will do its best to find an immediate solution to the erosion."
Tudun-Jukun, according to Ballah, is not the only area in the Local Government Area affected by erosion.
"There are worst affected areas than Tudun-Jukun which the erosion is threatening. A place like Unguwan Dumbu in Dambo Ward for example, is almost cut off by the erosion. The villagers need only less than half a kilometre journey, without the erosion, to come to Dambo town but now have to go round the erosion sites before going to Dambo town which is about six kilometers drive.
"Other areas like Unguwan Fatika inside the city and Kwain Kira in Kaura Ward also in the city are also badly affected by erosion. The damage caused by the erosion is beyond the handling of the Local Government. This is why the state government has to come in. We are doing our best to forward the case to the state government so that the situation can be handled effectively apart from the little effort we will now put," Ballah explained
The Zaria Local Government vice chairman also agrees that the erosion should be checked now before any damage is done. "I agree absolutely that the situation should better be controlled now before lives are lost, God forbid. I want to assure all those who are affected by the erosion to please bear with us. We will do our best to see that we handle the situation before the impending catastrophe unfolds. I want to also call on the state government to assist us and listen to the voices of these helpless people who the erosion is threatening," he said.
Most of the residents interviewed think the Kaduna State government was not aware of their predicament. "The erstwhile governor, Ahmad Mohammed Makarfi, has executed projects of less importance than ours. The present governor, Architect Namadi Sambo, should come to our aid. If the erosion is not controlled soon, the tragic loss of thousands of lives and property may not be ruled out," Malam Uthman Bala Bakori said.
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