Katsina govt transfers Kogo Forest Reserve to FG

Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda, has transferred the Kogo Forest Reserve in Faskari Local Government Area to the Federal Government to strengthen environmental protection and promote sustainable forest management. The governor signed the Memorandum of Understanding at Government House, Katsina, following the conclusion of the two-day 18th National Council on the Environment meeting and a courtesy visit by the Minister of Environment, Mr Balarabe Abbas Lawal.

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“We have formally handed over the Kogo Forest Reserve to the Federal Government in line with our shared commitment to environmental sustainability,” Mr Radda said. The governor used the occasion to showcase Katsina’s development strides, noting that hosting the Council allowed participants to experience the state’s progress firsthand.

“This gathering has enabled our guests to see Katsina for themselves, experience the resilience and hospitality of our people, and understand the steady progress we’re making beyond the negative narratives often portrayed in the media,” he said. Governor Radda disclosed that Katsina State is implementing an aggressive renewable energy programme targeting 25 megawatts of solar power by next year, with an additional 10 megawatts already in the pipeline.

“We have handed over a windmill project, and further processes are ongoing to make it fully operational. Katsina State is also implementing Nigeria’s first hybrid wind-solar power project in Lambar Rimi, with a planned capacity of 12 megawatts within our Green Economy Zone,” he added. He explained that the state has identified 12 key government institutions accounting for about 92 per cent of public energy consumption and commenced their transition to renewable power sources.

“Government House now runs on a one-megawatt solar system, the General Hospital has been connected, and the State Secretariat is fully solar-powered and independent of the national grid,” Mr Radda said. On environmental security, he identified deforestation as a major regional and national concern, warning that commercial charcoal production is increasingly linked to organised criminal networks.

“Between 70 and 80 per cent of our forests remain ungoverned, posing serious environmental and national security risks that require decisive federal action,” he cautioned. Governor Radda particularly noted the impact of the ACReSAL programme in Jibia and Kaita Local Government Areas, adding that the interventions prevented flooding in the state last year. He added that Katsina State secured approval for a one-megawatt hydroelectric power project at Danja Dam, to be implemented in partnership with the French Treasury and replicated across other dams in the state.

Earlier, the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, disclosed that Katsina State improved its national environmental performance ranking from third to second position. “Katsina now compares favourably with states that have far greater resources,” he said. Mr Abbas Lawal stressed that environmental management links directly to public health, noting that a clean environment significantly reduces disease burden.

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“By clearing stagnant water and managing our environment properly, we can prevent up to 70 per cent of common health challenges,” he explained. The Minister attributed flooding to climate change, human activities, blocked waterways, and negligence, revealing that the Federal Ministry of Environment is introducing measures such as floodwater harvesting for dry-season farming and improved plastic waste management.

The event drew participation of the Head of the Civil Service, Falalu Bawale; the Principal Private Secretary to the Governor, Abdullahi Aliyu Turaji; the Special Adviser on Climate Change, Professor Al-Ameen Muhammad; and members of the Katsina State Executive Council.