Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has unveiled a N34 billion intervention to tackle the gully erosion and environmental degradation affecting Rigasa and neighbouring communities in Kaduna South and Igabi Local Government Areas.
According to the State Government, the project to be executed through the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, will cover a 17-kilometre corridor.
Speaking after an inspection of the site, Governor Sani described the erosion as a major environmental challenge that had persisted for over 30 years, claiming lives, destroying property and threatening livelihoods.
“This intervention is more than an environmental project; it is a human development project. It is about protecting lives, preserving livelihoods, creating jobs and ensuring that every citizen can live and work in a safe and healthy environment,” he said.
The Governor disclosed that funding for the project had been secured, with groundbreaking expected within two weeks and completion scheduled within 18 months.
He added that although more than 1,200 households would be affected by the project, the state government had earmarked over N2 billion for compensation and resettlement support.
“The N34 billion investment demonstrates our administration’s commitment to addressing long-neglected challenges that directly affect the welfare of our citizens. We are determined to deliver lasting solutions, not temporary fixes,” he stated.
The Governor noted that the project would create employment opportunities, stimulate economic activities and directly benefit more than two million residents and businesses within the affected corridor and surrounding communities.
“For too long, erosion defined the future of these communities. Today, we are changing that narrative. We are reclaiming the land, restoring livelihoods, protecting lives and building a safer and more prosperous future for over two million people,” Sani added.
A community leader, Yusuf Wada Muhammad, said the erosion crisis had caused severe hardship across the affected communities, destroying homes, farmlands and properties worth millions of naira, while exposing families to constant danger.
