Residents of Gwamai Bayan Makaranta in Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area of Kano State have raised an urgent alarm over the escalating threat of erosion, which has become a dire danger to both their homes and farmlands, particularly during the rainy season.
Speaking to Nigerian NewsDirect, Malam Auwalu Bala Gwamai, the spokesperson for the community, revealed the severe impact of the erosion on the livelihoods of the residents.
“Our houses and farmlands are in serious danger due to the rampant erosion,” he lamented.
He also explained that the erosion is not only undermining their infrastructure but also threatening the very foundation of their agricultural activities, which form the economic backbone of the community.
Gwamai further appealed to the local government and state authorities to take swift and decisive action to address the crisis. “We are appealing to the Chairman of Dawakin Tofa Local Government Council, Honourable Anas Muktar Danmaliki, to intervene and save us by constructing a wide drainage system.
This will help alleviate the damage caused by the erosion, despite the financial constraints facing local councils,” Gwamai said.
He also urged the state governor, His Excellency Abba Kabir Yusuf, and other relevant stakeholders to come to their aid, ensuring that the community’s farmlands and homes are not consumed by the expanding erosion.
On a recent visit to the affected area, our correspondent observed the extent of the destruction, with large sections of land and several residential structures visibly compromised.
The erosion has not only caused irreparable damage to the landscape but is also putting lives and livelihoods at risk. The situation is becoming increasingly untenable, demanding urgent action to mitigate the crisis.
Further investigations indicate that the erosion issue in Gwamai Bayan Makaranta is symptomatic of broader environmental challenges facing the region.
Experts have stressed the need for intervention from the Ministry of Environment, Ecological Fund projects, and other environmental agencies to conduct an on-site evaluation and provide the necessary solutions.
The community, located along the Kano-Bichi-Katsina road, is in urgent need of assistance before the damage becomes irreversible.
The residents of Gwamai Bayan Makaranta have placed their hopes on the swift response of both local and state authorities to prevent the complete erosion of their homes and farmlands.