By Saeed Ahmad Bappah, Gombe
The Gombe State Urban Planning and Development Authority (GOSUPDA) has launched a decisive enforcement campaign to protect critical erosion control infrastructure, issuing a stern warning to traditional leaders regarding the illegal encroachment of the ACReSAL gully erosion fencing project.
During a recent operation, the authority demolished structures erected on protected zones within the Shehu Abubakar District, a site undergoing significant overhaul under the administration of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya.
Addressing the issue of unauthorized development, the Chairman of GOSUPDA, Alhaji Bappayo Samanja Mauɗo, emphasized that the integrity of the erosion control measures must be maintained.
“At least three meters shall always be set aside before any development from the fencing wire,” Mauɗo stated, noting that these buffer zones are essential for public utility maintenance, including tree planting, water piping, and the installation of solar streetlights.
He further underscored that there will be “no sacred cow” in the agency’s effort to enforce development control regulations.
In a separate enforcement action, the authority successfully reopened an access road in the BAP 1048 area that had been blocked by an individual.
Following these interventions, GOSUPDA has issued an urgent summons to all district, village, and ward heads in the affected areas.
The leaders are required to attend an emergency meeting at the GOSUPDA head office on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.
The session is designed to address the persistent challenges of encroachment and the illegal sale of plots situated behind the ACReSAL fencing project.
Emphasizing the gravity of the situation, the authority urged all invited stakeholders to prioritize the meeting, warning that failure to attend may result in serious consequences.