Establishment of Institute of Trypanosomiasis Research in Gombe Will Boost Livestock Production, Economy’ -Gov Yahaya

Gombe state Governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya says the establishment of the National Institute for Trypanosomiasis ( NITR) will improve livestock production and impact positively on the lives of the people of the state.

The Governor stated this when he granted audience to the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu who was in the State for the commissioning ceremony of the Zonal office of NITR in Gombe.

Speaking at the ceremony, the governor told his guest that more than 70 per cent of the people of Gombe State are farmers involved in either crop or livestock production, noting that an institute like NITR will help to combat the devastating effect of tsetse flies on both animals and human beings.

Governor Inuwa commented that Gombe will no doubt benefit from the institute’s services and that his administration is willing to contribute to its growth, explaining that besides the infectious nature of tsetse flies on animals, human beings are also at risk of contracting onchocerciasis each time they come in contact with them, hence the need to galvanize ideas and forces to combat the menace.

Still making his remarks, he noted that the setting of the zonal office of NITR in Gombe is apt which was why on request by the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology he wasted no time in allocating a piece of land for the construction of the research centre, describing the speed at which the office was built as impressive.

“When the Ministry of Science and Technology approached me for a land to build this structure, I gave it instant approval and they equally responded instantly and you can see the result here today”.

“A lot of Federal Government ministries and agencies came and took allocation and abandoned them, but for the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, the very month the land was allocated you swung into action and put up a structure, so that confirms the level of dedication, commitment and hope you want to bequeath to the people of the State”.

“Gombe State as you rightly said is at the centre of the north-east and as such whatever is sited here will benefit the entire region as it will not take more than two hours, especially in the days when roads were good from any of the State’s headquarters to get to Gombe”.

The Governor said the State Government will enlighten the populace on the benefit of the institute owing to the fact Gombe is home to one of the largest grazing reserves in Africa, the Wawa Zange Grazing Reserve, which measures about one hundred and forty four hectares of land dotted with livestock breeders.

To this end, the Governor said, anything that can be done to support livestock development in the State and by extension the north-east is highly welcome. He thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for approving the setting up of the NITR’s north-east zonal office in Gombe.

Earlier, the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu said the setting up of the NITR’s zonal office in Gombe marks a great milestone as the centre is of great economic importance to the State and the nation considering the fact that Gombe State has a rich livestock industry.

The Minister noted that economies of many countries across the world are dependent on livestock production, expressing confidence that Gombe State can blaze the trail in animal husbandry for the benefit of the people of the State and the country as a whole.

He noted that the setting up of the institute in Gombe will improve the quality of livestock which will translate to increase in yields in terms of meat, milk and other derivatives from livestock and that this will eventually increase the income of livestock farm.