Zamfara West Neighborhood Improvement (ZWCD) has recommended former Zamfara state Governor and present Minister of state for Defence, Bello Matawalle, for addressing the long-standing herders-farmers conflicts within the state by the introduction of the Rural Grazing Areas (RUGA) challenge.
The group’s convener, Kabiru Sabitu Gidan Goga, in an announcement on Saturday, highlighted the numerous affect of the RUGA initiative throughout Matawalle’s tenure as governor from 2019 to 2023.
Gidan Goga described the challenge as a standout effort aimed toward fostering peaceable coexistence, rural growth, and agricultural productiveness.
“If we are saying we don’t miss Dr. Bello Matawalle, then we’ve got dedicated a sin in opposition to God,” Gidan Goga mentioned, emphasizing the significance of the initiatives launched by Matawalle’s administration.
The RUGA challenge, piloted in Maradun Native Authorities Space, Matawalle’s hometown, was designed as a complete resolution to the conflicts between herders and farmers.
” It included trendy infrastructure equivalent to colleges for the schooling of pastoralist and farming communities, irrigation methods to help sustainable agriculture, and veterinary clinics to reinforce livestock well being and productiveness.
By addressing the wants of each communities, the challenge aimed to advertise concord, enhance entry to schooling and healthcare, and enhance agricultural sources in rural areas.
“This forward-thinking method not solely resolved conflicts but additionally contributed to rural growth, underscoring Matawalle’s dedication to peace, {economic} stability, and inclusive progress in Zamfara State,” Gidan Goga added.
Matawalle was succeeded by Dauda Lawal of the opposition Peoples Democratic Celebration after serving as governor of Zamfara State.
In keeping with him, his legacy, notably the RUGA initiative, continues to obtain accolades for its position in addressing the essential concern of herders-farmers conflicts and fostering growth in rural communities.