Yobe people have charged legislators representing the state in the National Assembly to work toward the passage of the bill for the establishment of Desertification Control Commission.

Alhaji Musa Katuzu, a retired civil servant and farmer, made the call on Thursday in Gashua, Yobe, while speaking with  newsmen.

Kutuzu noted that the establishment of the commission would boost government efforts to combat desertification threatening the lives of over 60 per cent of the state’s population.

He said that the menace of desertification had led to the neglect of farming which he noted, was the major occupation of the people of the state.

“The menace of desertification cannot be handled by the state government alone, so our legislators have to team up with their colleagues from other states affected by desertification to canvass for the commission,” Musa said.

Also commenting along the same line, Gamcho Adamu, a farmer in Garin Alkali village, urged Sen. Ahmad Lawan to re-visit his campaign for the establishment of the commission during the 6th National Assembly.

Bunu Alkali, a resident of Dapchi, told reporters that the programmes launched by various administrations to combat desertification had been successful.

“The establishment of the commission remains the most assured means to effectively combat the environmental problem and this is a collective challenge to our legislators to improve the lives of the people”.

“The threat posed by desertification has grossly reduced farming activities across the state and it is posing threat to food security.

“We call on our new legislators to team up with their older colleagues to pass the bill to establish the commission in the interest of our people”, Alkali said.