Villagers Protest Encroachment On Farms By Contractor In Katsina

Some villagers in Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State on Monday expressed concern over the over-night clearance of their farms by a contractor claiming to be handling a road project in the area.

The farmers led by Alhaji Balarabe Ahmed said while presenting their complain to the District Head of Faskari, Alhaji Muhammad Tukur, that they were neither informed, consulted or paid compensation before over 150 of their farms were cleared by the contractor.

“We only woke up saw a caterpillar owned by one contractor in the area clearing our farmlands at Birnin-ruwa, Unguwan Ali Dan-Tasha in Yankara village without any notification nor compensation.

File photo

“We are not against the proposed construction of the nine kilometer road which will pass through our farms as claimed by the contractor, but we must be carried along.

“We have already started farming activities on the farms; at least we should have been notified and compensation paid to us before the work started”, Ahmed told the monarch.

Responding, the District Head, who is also the Sarkin Yamman Katsina, commended the farmers for their maturity and pledged to forward their complain to appropriate government officials.

While contacted, the Acting Chairman of the Local Government, Alhaji Auwal Badaru-Jikamshi said the council was not aware of the road construction in the area.

According to him, “We will investigate the matter to find out the truth of the project, and also ensure that necessary processes have been followed before the work continues.” (NAN)