Bauchi Bans Farming Of Cereals To Check Insecurity – BASEPA
By Sule Aliyu Bauchi
The Bauchi State government is to enforce the law banning the planting of cereals within the state metropolis from the next farming season to check the activities of hoodlums who use such farms for criminal activities.
The Director of Inspection, Enforcement, and Compliance of the State Environmental Protection Agency, BASEPA, Alhaji Muhammad Usman Sale dropped the hint at a pre-test of a newly constructed user-friendly toilet located at the Multi-purpose Indoor Sports Hall opposite Wunti Market Bauchi.
He said farming of crops such as maize, sorghum, and millet within households and the premises of ministries, departments, and agencies in major towns currently posed a security threat, as such farms formed hideouts of criminals who often vandalized and cart away government property.
Alhaji Muhammad who expressed gratitude to WaterAid Nigeria for funding the construction of the user-friendly toilet appealed to the management of the Wunti Market traders association and the road transport workers within the market to keep away hoodlums from the toilet site as well as ensure the entire location is free of human feaces and garbage.
In his remark, WaterAid Bauchi spokesman Mashat Mallo implored the Bauchi State government and toilet business operators to replicate the new user-friendly toilet models across the state to enable the government to achieve its dream of ending open defecation.
While commending government agencies like the Urban Development Board, RUWASA, and BASEPA for providing technical support for the actualization of the project Mr Mallo urged the agencies to provide a reliable and sustainable water source to the toilet to attract effective usage.
Earlier, the General Manager of RUWASA, Alhaji Adamu Sabo urged BASEPA to supervise the setting up of a facility caretaker office comprising officials of Wunti Market Traders Association and the road transport workers union to ensure proper maintenance of the toilet.
On their part, representatives of people with special needs, Asmazu Yahaya and Iliya Ismail described the new toilet model as the most accessible for people with disability, saying, “Our members can use it independently without anybody’s supporty.
