INTERVIEW: How we are tackling challenges of out-of-school children, farmers-herders conflict in Jigawa – Governor

According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), there are more than 20 million out-of-school children in Nigeria.

Jigawa State in North-west Nigeria, has the fifth largest number of out-of-school children after Bauchi, Kebbi, Katsina and Kano State. There are about 784,391 children not in school in the state.

Many of the out-of-school children in Jigawa are Almajiris. The Almajiris are not enrolled in any school of formal education.

Almajiris are usually sent by their parents to faraway towns to study the Qur’an. The children, mainly boys, are largely neglected to roam the street begging for alms.

Also, in parts of the state, the struggle for control of the lush land has led to deadly conflicts between farmers and herders over the years.

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The state is also prone to flash floods during rainy seasons. Many communities have been ravaged by floods, causing the deaths of hundreds of residents and destroying farmlands.

The state’s governor, Umar Namadi, in this interview with reporters on Wednesday, including PREMIUM TIMES’ Ahmadu Maishanu, in Dutse, spoke about efforts taken by his administration to address these problems and others within the first 100 days of being sworn into office.

Excerpt.

PT: Your state has been battling a high number of out-of-school children. What are you doing to address that challenge?

Mr. Namadi: We have within 100 days in office been able to expand the state’s Ministry of Education into two components – now having two ministries for basic education and higher.

This will bring more concentration on what we can do to ensure that education is given a greater priority for all children and adults in Jigawa State.

If you glance at the combination of our cabinet, we brought in people with integrity. Within this period, Jigawa State has seen a revolution in the educational sector.

We have put in place a system that will ensure the quality of education, we have rejigged the basic education system, we introduced some changes, and we have integrated the Qur’anic education system into the mainstream education system. The Tsangaya system (Almajiri system of education), we are furnishing it into the main education system, and that will reduce the number of out-of-school children.

That has made me appoint two aides to the Almajiri system. Very soon, one other person will be appointed – making one each from the three senatorial districts, that will help in coordinating the Almajiri system into the mainstream system.

The issues of school enrollment, we have taken it head-on to ensure that children are going to school that is working very well.

PT: The farmers-herders conflict has been a re-occurring issue resulting in loss of lives in many instances. How is the new administration addressing the problem?

Mr Namadi: When we came in, I convened a meeting with all the security stakeholders on the need to sustain the favourable security situation of the state.

We are also proactive in sustaining the security situation of the state, we directed the security agents, traditional rulers and religious leaders to play their part.

One of the prone areas are Guri and Kirikasamma. We have been working with the security agencies to ensure that the farmers-herders clashes have been reduced to the barest minimum and possibly eliminated.

With what we have started, we are very confident that we will get to the bottom of that crisis. At present, we have set up a committee to ensure that there is peace.

The committee has started making an impact, and we hope that their work will bring an end to the farmers and herders crisis.

During the process of transition, some people have taken an opportunity to distribute land which is not by laid down rules.

We have revoked all the land allocation and we have set up a committee to retrieve all the land. Afterwards, we will demarcate them to ensure that they remain government grassing reserve areas.

We have taken steps to improve the grassing reserve by providing a water facility and planting pastures in some of the grassing reserves so that the Fulanis can have a better way of grassing and reduce the conflict between the farmers and the herders.

We have directed the Ministry of Basic Education, Nomadic Education, and Adult Education to work in synergy in organising lectures and seminars for the Fulanis, to educate them both on formal and religious education. We believe if they know, it will shape their reasoning in reducing the unwholesome attitudes.

PT: Flooding has become a nightmare for many communities in Jigawa during rainy seasons, causing the deaths of hundreds of residents and destroying farmlands. What are you doing differently to combat flooding?

Mr Namadi: Flooding is a major problem in Jigawa State. We have been proactive in that regard. We have bought two excavators and the Hadejia Jama’are River Basic Development Authority has also bought two for the state.

The four excavators have been put to use to dredge the Hadejia rivers. As of today, we have done about 60 kilometres of dredging that has to allow the flow of water.

We have also made embankments in the riverine areas, so far, we have done over 100 kilometres of embankment in the flood-prone area to reduce the effect of floods.

With this development, people are now confident and have gotten back to farming and we are expecting a bomber harvest this year by the grace of Allah.

In addition to dredging rivers and embankments, we have distributed working materials to self-help groups to clear the drainages.

We have supported the people with canoes and supporting materials in the event the flood occurred, which we pray against.

PT: About 80 per cent of Jigawa residents are engaged in agriculture. What is your administration doing to improve the development of agriculture in the state?

Mr. Namadi: Agriculture is the mainstay of the state’s economy, in the last hundred days, we have reviewed the cluster system of farming, and we have seen that we will continue with it and expand it.

A committee has been set up to look at and improve seedlings for the farmers.

In trying to assist the farmers we have distributed fertiliser to our farmers at a subsidised cost of 40 per cent less than the open market price and that has improved the level of farming because people have access to the fertiliser at a cheaper cost.

With the removal of the fuel subsidy, we plan to provide solar water pumps to the farmers during the dry seasonal farming at a lesser cost.

PT: Recently, you supervised the distribution of farming inputs in some communities in the state. During the distribution, you discovered that some farmers were short-changed by some government officials. You vowed to sanction those involved, but we have not heard anything about the issue. What action did you take to punish the culprits and put an end to such practices?

Mr. Namadi: There was an issue in the Fadama project, which involved the improper distribution of input to farmers.

I have gone around and confirmed that some of the farmers were not given the farming inputs they deserve.

I have vowed to ensure that those officials involved in the infamous act must be brought to book and pay the money back. We are still on that.

A committee is working, and they have a week to submit their interim report. Those indicted by the report will face the consequences of their action and they will refund the money.

This article was edited by Nicholas Ibekwe and Oluwaseyi Ayeni.