By Bode Olagoke
Abuja
The ongoing National Conference yesterday adopted the amended contentious reports of the conference committee on Citizenship, Immigration and Related Matters earlier suspended over grazing reserves and new technologies for herdsmen to be funded by states across the country.
The committee had recommended that grazing reserves and new technologies such as hydroponic fodder solution for feeding cattle should be promoted by governments
It also recommended that dedicated funds for the acculturation and acclimatization of herdsmen should be provided for herdsmen to settle down at designated grazing reserves.
The adoption of the committee report was preceded by a motion sponsored by 14 delegates and read by Mr. Festus Okoye, representing Civil Society Organisations.
The motion which contained three prayers sought that an integrated development and livelihoods modernization programme be implemented.
Okoye said the motion was to address issues of settling nomadic herdsmen into settled communities based on establishment of cattle ranches with development technologies including abattoirs, processors and other businesses along livestock value chain.
“That the programme should be funded by both federal and state governments where such settlement are established.
“That the integrated programme should be undertaken and wrapped up within five to 10 years after which such settlements should have become self-sustaining with the full integration of the nomadic community into modern Nigeria political economy.”
He said that the motion became necessity to build on the innovative and transformative recommendations of citizenship and residency rights already adopted by the conference.
He added that the motion was also important to create the enabling environment to reduce and prevent conflict arising from the encroachment of herdsmen into farmlands and competitions over land use between herdsmen and farming communities.
The motion was seconded by Mr Mike Ozakhome, a federal government delegate, which was unanimously accepted by the conference.
