By Rabilu Gombe
The Gombe State Ministry of Livestock Development has taken decisive steps to revamp the state’s agricultural sector, with the Commissioner, Hon. Salihu Baba Alkali, embarking on an extensive inspection tour of key livestock and fisheries facilities aimed at curbing farmer-herder clashes, boosting productivity, and creating jobs.
The tour began at the Wawa-Zange Grazing Reserve, a 145-hectare facility spanning Dukku and Funakaye Local Government Areas. Established by the Federal Government in 1986 to accommodate herders, enhance milk and meat production, and prevent nomadic roaming, the reserve has suffered years of infrastructural decay and unauthorized encroachment.
Speaking to newsmen after the tour, Hon. Baba Alkali said the state government, in partnership with the Federal Government, has moved to reclaim the land and restore it to its original purpose. “When I resumed office in this new ministry, I thought on how to improve livestock in the state. You cannot achieve that when there are grudges, clashes, and misunderstandings between farmers and herders,” he said.
During the inspection, the Commissioner and his delegation assessed the fractured earthen dam, milk collection center, warehouse, nomadic school, and a healthcare clinic that had suffered fire damage. He noted with regret that many of the facilities have fallen into disrepair over the decades, depriving herders of optimal benefits.
He issued a firm warning to encroachers, stating that the state has revoked all unauthorized agricultural lands within the reserve. “We shall not fold our arms and watch the reserve being turned into something else; we must revive it to its intended purpose for the peace and benefit of our people,” he asserted.
He also urged pastoralists to protect the provided amenities as collective heritage. Hon. Baba Alkali commended Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for creating a dedicated ministry for livestock development and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for establishing a federal ministry in the sector, expressing optimism that the forthcoming visit of the federal minister will unlock vital partnerships.
The Commissioner also visited the Gombe State Veterinary Clinic where he commended medical personnel for their resilience despite operating under pressure. The Chief Veterinarian, *Dr. Adamu Boyi, highlighted challenges including severe manpower shortages, shared premises with the cattle market, lack of perimeter fencing, and reliance on students on industrial attachment. While appreciating the state-of-the-art veterinary scanning machine recently provided, Dr. Boyi appealed for specialized staff training and administrative independence. In response, Hon. Baba Alkali assured that the concerns would be tabled before Governor Yahaya. “I shall submit a comprehensive report and engage His Excellency to ensure these challenges are squarely addressed,” he affirmed.
At the long-abandoned Gombe Poultry Production Unit near Old Dukku Motor Park, the Commissioner expressed dismay over years of neglect that left the hatchery and feed production units inactive. Guided by the unit manager, Fatima Wayas, he lamented, “How I knew this place twenty years back has totally degraded, nothing is going on now.”
He promised that definitive action would be taken to either revive the facility or put it into productive use and charged workers to safeguard remaining equipment. He also inspected the newly constructed live birds market opposite the park, voicing frustration over delays in its commissioning. He described the market, with modern water and sanitation amenities, as critical for orderliness and economic development and announced plans for an urgent meeting with trade stakeholders.
The tour concluded at Daɗinkowa Fish Farm and the Gombe Fish Feed Mill. At Daɗinkowa, Farm Manager Bitrus Philip explained that the farm once supplied fish across the Northeast and currently has 24 staff, but operations are constrained by power outages, lack of broodstock, and facility degradation.
He noted the farm’s capacity to produce over 10,000 fingerlings and rear high-demand species like _Heterobranchus_, and appealed for a dedicated solar power facility. At the feed mill, Manager Yakubu Adamu said the plant with six machines is non-functional due to a vandalized transformer. He said with modern extruders for floating pellets and stable power, the mill can produce over eight tonnes of fish feed within weeks to serve both the farm and commercial markets.
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