Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, has unveiled a ₦34 billion intervention to tackle the decades-long gully erosion and environmental degradation affecting Rigasa and neighbouring communities in Kaduna South and Igabi Local Government Areas.
The project, to be executed through the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, will cover a 17-kilometre corridor and is aimed at reclaiming degraded land, controlling erosion, restoring livelihoods and improving environmental safety in affected communities.
Speaking after an inspection of the site, Governor Uba Sani described the erosion as a major environmental challenge that has 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 has 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 has earmarked over ₦2 billion for compensation and resettlement support.
“The ₦34 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,” Uba Sani added.
Residents of the area welcomed the development, describing it as a long-awaited solution to a problem that has devastated communities for nearly three decades.
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.
“For nearly 30 years, our communities have lived with the devastating effects of gully erosion. We have lost lives, homes, farmlands, and properties worth millions of naira, while many families have lived in constant fear of further destruction. Successive interventions fell short of addressing the scale of the problem,” he said.
He added that the Governor’s visit and the unveiling of the intervention had restored confidence among residents.
“Governor Uba Sani’s visit to the site and the unveiling of this intervention have given our people renewed hope that this long-standing challenge will finally be resolved,” he said.
